HEPATIC ENHANCEMENT AND METASTATIC LESION CONSPICUOUSNESS ON CT SCANS- INFLUENCE OF INTRAVENOUS GLUCAGON AND ORAL CT CONTRAST MATERIAL

PURPOSE: To determine the effect of glucagon and orally administered c ontrast material on hepatic enhancement and metastatic lesion conspicu ity on computed tomographic (CT) scans. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine pa tients with a history of hepatic metastasis underwent two CT examinati ons with intravenously administered contrast material. Each patient wa s given orally administered CT contrast material for the first examina tion. No oral contrast material was given in the second examination. F ive patients underwent the initial CT with intravenous administration of 1 mg of glucagon; the second examination was performed without gluc agon. Four patients were administered glucagon before the second exami nation, but no glucagon was administered before the first. Attenuation in the liver, portal vein, and aorta was measured by observers blinde d to whether the patient had been given glucagon. Lesion conspicuity w as rated on a continuous scale. RESULTS: Greater mean hepatic enhancem ent was noted on scans of patients in whom oral contrast material was administered (mean, 52 HU) versus those in whom no oral contrast mater ial was administered (mean, 47 HU; P = .019). Glucagon was not associa ted with greater hepatic enhancement. Neither oral contrast material n or glucagon had a significant effect on lesion conspicuity. CONCLUSION : Oral CT contrast material is associated with a small increase in hep atic enhancement that does not appear to be clinically important. Gluc agon does not appear to affect hepatic enhancement or lesion conspicui ty in humans.