Appearance of the hepatic artery in multidetector-row CT using a test bolus injection

To separate the hepatic artery from the portal vein for the clear appearance of the hepatic artery, we used a test bolus injection in Multidetector-row CT. We examined 25 patients using the following method: 75 ml Iopamidol (370 mgI/ml), at a rate of 5 ml/sec, with scanning commencing 5 sec after the contrast medium reached the upper abdominal aorta. Successful separation could be obtained in almost all of the patients (88%). Separating the hepatic artery from the portal vein enabled us to evaluate the anatomy of the hepatic artery and the abnormality of blood flow in the liver. (author)