https://www.selleckchem.com/products/ide397-gsk-4362676.html 5% in 33 patients when using optimal z-axis coverage for CCTA. In the group that was scanned with a collimation of 14 cm, radiation dose could have been reduced by 14.3% in 90 patients, and 28.6% in 30 patients, whereas in the group that was scanned with a collimation of 12 cm, dose could have been reduced by 16.7% in 2 patients. CONCLUSIONS Using correct z-axis coverage in CCTA on a latest-generation 256-slice scanner yields average dose reductions of 22.0% but may be as high as 37.5%.PURPOSE The aim of this study was to identify possible predictors for findings of left atrial appendage (LAA) filling defects in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) on cardiac computed tomography (CT). MATERIALS AND METHODS We retrospectively evaluated findings of LAA filling defects on the early phase of cardiac CT of 63 patients with history of AF and compared those images with those of 63 control subjects. We investigated potential predictors for LAA filling defects. RESULTS Filling defects of the LAA correlated significantly with patient history of persistent AF (P = 0.045; odds ratio [OR], 3.17), chicken wing morphology (P = 0.013; OR, 4.12), and with LAA volume (P = 0.0032; OR, 1.19) of 12.53 cm or greater (sensitivity, 87.3%; specificity, 69.8%). CONCLUSIONS We observed persistent AF, the chicken wing type of LAA morphology, and LAA volume as independent predictors of LAA filling defects on cardiac CT. These findings might improve cardiac CT scanning protocol.OBJECTIVE To prospectively compare the performance of model-based and model-free dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) pharmacokinetic parameters in monitoring breast cancers' early response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). METHODS Sixty patients, with 61 pathology-proven breast cancers, were examined using DCE magnetic resonance imaging before, after the first cycle, and after full cycles of NACT. Both model-based (Ktrans and others) and model-free parameters, m