PURPOSE: To determine the effect of the rate of contrast medium injection on liver enhancement at computed tomography (CT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-five patients who underwent a follow-up CT examination of the liver were included in five different groups according to the compared rates of contrast material delivery: group A, 2 versus 3 mL/sec; group B, 2 versus 4.5 mL/sec; group C, 3 versus 4.5 mL/sec; group D, 3 versus 6 mL/sec; and group E, 4.5 versus 6 mL/sec. RESULTS: Time to peak enhancement was shorter for the faster rates of injection. In each group, maximum enhancement was nearly identical for the paired examinations (group A, 57 vs 58 HU; group B, 48 vs 47 HU; group C, 55 vs 58 HU; group D, 55 vs 54 HU; group E, 62 vs 61 HU, respectively). Mean enhancement in each group was similar when calculated at 3-second intervals. CONCLUSION: Higher rates of injection shorten the time to peak liver enhancement but have no effect on maximum liver enhancement.
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García et al. (1996) studied this question.