Assessment of the arteriovenous cerebrovascular system by multi-slice CT: A single-bolus, monophasic protocol

Purpose: We present a protocol for the non-invasive angiographic assessment of the arterial and venous cerebrovascular (CV) system by multi-slice CT. Material and Methods: Data acquisition was performed in a multi-slice CT scanner with a scan range from the carotid bifurcation to the vertex and manual scan start following i.v. administration of 120 ml iodinated contrast medium with a flow rate of 4 ml/s. This protocol was applied in 12 patients with symptoms of acute CV insuffiency. Results: In all patients, comprehensive imaging of the arteriovenous CV system was achieved including the common carotid bifurcation, the third segment of the major cerebral arteries, the durai sinus and the internal cerebral veins. Various CV pathologies, such as a territorial artery occlusion, a thrombotic obstruction of the internal carotid artery, an intracranial arteriovenous malformation and a sinus vein thrombosis, were successfully evaluated. Conclusion: Comprehensive assessment of the arteriovenous CV system is possible by the use of a single-bolus, monophasic multi-slice scan technique.