%0 Journal Article
%A Simcock, Ian C
%A Shelmerdine, Susan C
%A Hutchinson, John Ciaran
%A Sebire, Neil J
%A Arthurs, Owen J
%D 2023
%F discovery:10185743
%I Oxford University Press (OUP)
%J BJR|Open
%K Micro-CT, fetal, potassium tri-iodide, immersion time
%N 1
%T Body weight-based iodinated contrast immersion timing for human fetal postmortem microfocus computed tomography
%U https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10185743/
%V 6
%X Objectives                        The aim of this study was to evaluate the length of time required to achieve full iodination using potassium tri-iodide as a contrast agent, prior to human fetal postmortem microfocus computed tomography (micro-CT) imaging.                                                          Methods                        Prospective assessment of optimal contrast iodination was conducted across 157 human fetuses (postmortem weight range 2-298 g; gestational age range 12-37 weeks), following micro-CT imaging. Simple linear regression was conducted to analyse which fetal demographic factors could produce the most accurate estimate for optimal iodination time.                                                          Results                        Postmortem body weight (r2 = 0.6435) was better correlated with iodination time than gestational age (r2 = 0.1384), producing a line of best fit, y = [0.0304 × body weight (g)] − 2.2103. This can be simplified for clinical use whereby immersion time (days) = [0.03 × body weight (g)] − 2.2. Using this formula, for example, a 100-g fetus would take 5.2 days to reach optimal contrast enhancement.                                                          Conclusions                        The simplified equation can now be used to provide estimation times for fetal contrast preparation time prior to micro-CT imaging and can be used to manage service throughput and parental expectation for return of their fetus.                                                          Advances in knowledge                        A simple equation from empirical data can now be used to estimate preparation time for human fetal postmortem micro-CT imaging.
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