PLoS ONE (Jan 2020)

More holes, more contrast? Comparing an 18-gauge non-fenestrated catheter with a 22-gauge fenestrated catheter for cardiac CT.

  • Andreas Marco Fischer,
  • Philipp Riffel,
  • Thomas Henzler,
  • U Joseph Schoepf,
  • Andres F Abadia,
  • Richard Robert Bayer,
  • Holger Haubenreisser,
  • Dante Giovagnoli,
  • Alexander Kremer,
  • Stefan O Schoenberg,
  • Joshua Gawlitza

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0234311
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 15, no. 6
p. e0234311

Abstract

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ObjectiveTo compare the performance of an 18-gauge nonfenestrated catheter (18-NFC) with a 22-gauge fenestrated catheter (22-FC) for cardiac CT angiography (CCTA) in patients with suspected coronary heart disease.Subjects and methods74 consecutive patients imaged on a 2nd generation dual-source CT with arterial phase CCTA were included in this retrospective investigation to either an 18-NFC or 22-FC. In comparison to the 18-NFC, the 22-FC has three additional perforations for contrast agent dispersal proximal to the tip. We examined the two groups for differences in their average attenuation in the right and left ventricles (RV, LV) and in the atrium (RA, LA) as well as in the proximal right coronary artery (RCA) and the left main coronary artery (LM). The averages were calculated for both the 18-NFC and 22-FC.ResultsCatheters were successfully placed on the first attempt 97% (36/37) for 18-NFC and 95% (35/37) for the 22-FC. The following enhancement levels were measured: 22-FC (in Hounsfield-Units (HU)): RV = 203±29, LV = 523±36, RA = 198±29, LA = 519±38, RCA = 547±26, LM = 562±25; 18-NFC: RV = 146±26, LV = 464±32, RA = 141±24, LA = 438±35, RCA = 501±23, LM = 523±23; RV (p = 0,03), LV (p = 0.12), RA (p = 0.02), LA (p = 0.04), RCA (p = 0.3), LM (p = 0.33).ConclusionNo significant differences in attenuation levels as well as in image quality of the coronary arteries were found between NFC and FC. Nevertheless, the 22-gauge FC examinations showed significantly higher attenuation in the left and right atrium as well as the right ventricle. Patients with poor venous access may benefit from a smaller gauge catheter that can deliver sufficiently high flow rates for CCTA.