- 10:00: Trial lecture
- 12:00: Public defence
The ordinary opponents are:
- First opponent: Associate Professor Shane Foley, University College Dublin, Ireland
- Second opponent: Consultant Radiologist, PhD Ylva Haig, Oslo University Hospital, Norway
- Leader of the committee: Associate Professor David Jahanlu, OsloMet, Norway
The leader of the public defense is Associate Professor Peter Mæhre Lauritzen, OsloMet.
The main supervisor is Associate Professor Safora Johansen, OsloMet.
The co-supervisors are Associate Professor Trond Mogens Aalokken, Oslo University Hospital and Professor Anne Catrine Traegde Martinsen, Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital.
Thesis abstract
Intravenous iodinated contrast medium (CM) plays a vital role in chest computed tomography (CT) examinations by improving the visibility of blood vessels and other chest structures. This enhancement contributes to more accurate detection and assessment of various clinical conditions, including tumors and vascular abnormalities.
The level of CM enhancement may affect both the image quality and the clinical outcome of the examination. With the increased variation in patient sizes globally, it has become increasingly important to ensure comparable image quality for all patients, regardless of size.
Aims
The first aim of the thesis was to investigate how CM protocols vary across hospitals in Norway and Europe, and to assess the level of agreement among the most common methods for CM administration used in chest CT.
The study revealed large variations in CM administration practices, with most hospitals employing a standardized approach that does not adjust for patient size or other factors related to CM administration, such as CM dose, injection rate, and scan delay.
The second aim was to investigate how different CM dosing protocols impact CM enhancement and image quality. The study included 364 participants referred for chest CT, comparing a fixed-dose protocol with three personalized methods that adjust CM dose based on total body weight, lean body mass, or body surface area.
Using predefined criteria, the patients were also categorized as normal, muscular, or overweight. The results showed that adjusting CM dose according to patient size was favourable, with the potential for overall CM reduction, and an improvement in the image quality of the CT examination.
Findings
The findings in this thesis provide insight into the variations in CM protocols used in chest CT and highlight the importance of personalized CM dosing to improve image quality and ensure accurate clinical outcomes.
