J Korean Radiol Soc.  2003 Mar;48(3):241-247. 10.3348/jkrs.2003.48.3.241.

Multidetector-row CT Angiography of Hepatic Artery: Comparison with Conventional Angiography

• Kim JW
• Jeong YY
• Yoon W
• Kim JK
• Park JG
• Seo JJ
• Kang HK

• KMID: 2200050
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/jkrs.2003.48.3.241

Abstract

PURPOSE: To determine the usefulness of three-dimensional CT angiography using multidetector-row CT (MDCT) for delineating the arterial anatomy of the liver.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Hepatic arterial three-dimensional CT angiography was performed using MDCT (Lightspeed Qx/I; GE Medical Systems, Milwaukee, Wis., U.S.A.) in 45 patients with HCC undergoing conventional angiography for transcatheter hepatic arterial chemoembolization. The scanning parameters during the early arterial phase were 2.5 mm slice thickness, 7.5 mm rotation of table speed, and a pitch of 3. Images were obtained by one radiologist using maximum intensity projection from axial CT images obtained during the early arterial phase. Two radiologists blinded to the findings of conventional angiography independently evaluated the hepatic arterial anatomy and the quality of the images obtained.
RESULTS
Compared with conventional angiography, reader A correctly evaluated the hepatic arterial anatomy depicted at three-dimensional CT angiography. Reader B's evaluation was correct in 40 of 45 patients. Interobserver agreement was good (kappa value, 0.73), and both readers assessed the quality of three-dimensional CT angiography as excellent.
CONCLUSION
Three-dimensional CT angiography using MDCT was accurate for delineating the arterial anatomy of the liver, and interobserver agreement was good. The modality may provide, prior to conventional angiography, valuable information regarding a patient's hepatic arterial anatomy.

Keyword

Liver, CT; Liver, angiography; CT, three-dimensional

MeSH Terms

Angiography*
Hepatic Artery*
Humans
Liver