CT PE C+ (last updated 7/9/2019, last reviewed 02/07/2022)
INDICATION: R/O Pulmonary embolism. Chest pain, dyspnea. Pulmonary artery aneursym. Pulmonary AVM.
SERIES
- 2mm Axial Soft Tissue/CTA
- 1mm Axial Lung
- 2mm Coronal Soft Tissue/CTA
- 3mm Coronal Lung
- 3mm Sagittal Lung
- Coronal slab MIP Lung
| | SOFT TISSUE CTA | LUNG |
|
POSITIONING/MODE
|
supine/helical |
supine/helical |
|
kV/mA/rot time
|
per scanner protocol CareDose/iDose/ASIR Care kV 120 kVp </= 1 sec |
per scanner protocol CareDose/iDose/ASIR Care kV 120 to 140 kVp </= 1 sec |
|
SLICE THICKNESS
|
2mm |
1mm |
|
PITCH
|
0.8 to 1.2 |
0.8 to 1.2 |
|
KERNAL
|
std |
lung |
|
SFOV
|
350 mm |
350 mm |
|
COVERAGE
|
thoracic inlet -> adrenals |
thoracic inlet -> adrenals |
|
ACQUISITION
|
caudocranial |
caudocranial |
|
ORAL CONTRAST
|
none |
none |
|
IV CONTRAST
|
weight-based dosing (default 80 mL Isovue 370, 30 mL saline) |
--- |
|
INJECTION RATE
|
3.5 to 4 mL/sec |
--- |
|
SCAN DELAY
|
Visual @ main PA (~20 to 30 sec) |
--- |
|
RESPIRATION
|
Suspended respiration (instruct not to take a deep breath) |
Suspended respiration (instruct not to take a deep breath |
|
POSTPROCESSING
|
2mm Coronal |
3mm Coronal and Sagittal Coronal slab MIPs |
NOTES:
To limit the dilutional effect of the unopacified blood:
1. Maintain the injection rate at 3.5-4 mL/sec as best as possible. Document the injection rate in the logbook.
2. Instruct the patient to take shallow breaths (not deep breaths). Instruct patient not to contract or tense up their stomach muscle when they hold their breath. When the patient takes the final breath in to hold, instruct patients to take only a small breath in and then stop/suspend breathing
***For pediatric patients (<18 yo) follow ALARA principle and use pediatric specific technical parameters per respective CT scanner***
