Functional imaging of the liver. New information from dynamic CT.

In order to assess their potential usefulness in conjunction with dynamic CT scans of the liver, functional images of several variables related to blood flow were created from dynamic CT scans of 15 patients with a variety of liver diseases. Seven of the patients received intra-arterial and intravenous boluses of contrast; the other eight received intravenous boluses alone. Intra-arterial contrast injections yielded superior functional images, but useful functional images could also be created from studies with intravenous boluses. Although respiratory motion artifacts caused some problems, images that can be interpreted in terms of effective distribution volume, transit time, and blood flow were successfully created. Functional imaging of the liver can provide a useful display of regional physiologic differences.