Chest

Indication	Brief description	Slice thickness and reconstruction kernel	Further details of contrast timing/explanation of what the radiographers do	Abbreviation
Lung cancer staging	Chest and abdomen post contrast	1 mm B30f, 1 mm B70f both 0.7 mm increment	40 seconds	CT chest and abdo + c	ENT cancer staging chest	CT chest (contrast)	1 mm B30f, 1 mm B70f both 0.7 mm increment.	65 seconds	CT chest + c
Lung cancer staging	CT chest and abdomen (contrast)	1 mm B30f, 1 mm B70f both 0.7 mm increment.	40 seconds	CT chest and abdo + c
Nodule on chest x-ray or nodule follow up	CT chest limited through nodule (non-contrast)	1 mm B30f, 1 mm B70f both 0.7 mm increment.	No contrast	Limited CT chest
Pulmonary embolus?	CTPA	1 mm B26f, 1 mm B70f both 0.7 mm increment. Vascular windows: C:200 W:600	ROI placed over main PA monitoring begins after 4 seconds and bolus tracking triggers scan at 140 HU with a delay of 6 seconds.	CTPA
Interstitial lung disease? Bronchiectasis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibrosis, sarcoidosis, fungal infection, PCP?	CT chest volume (non-contrast)	1 mm B30f, 1 mm B70f both 0.7 mm increment.	No contrast	Non-contrast CT chest
Mesothelioma? Empyema/unilateral pleural effusion?	CT pleural disease (65 s contrast)	1 mm B30f, 1 mm B70f both 0.7 mm increment.	Scan at 65 seconds post contrast.	CT chest + c
Mesothelioma follow-up	CT chest & abdomen (contrast) mesothelioma protocol	1 mm B30f, 1 mm B70f both 0.7 mm increment.	Scan at 65 seconds post contrast.	CT chest and abdo + c
Mediastinal mass	CT chest + c	1 mm B30f, 1 mm B70f both 0.7 mm increment.	Scan at 65 seconds post contrast.	CT chest + c
Fungal infection?	CT chest (non-contrast)	1 mm B30f, 1 mm B70f both 0.7 mm increment.	No contrast	Non-contrast CT chest
For left atrial ablation	CT left atrium (contrast)		Now done by cardiology	CTLA
Post-sternotomy. Infection?	CT sternum (65 s contrast)	1 mm B30f, 1 mm B70f both 0.7 mm increment.	65 seconds post contrast.	CT chest + c
For anatomy prior to re-do sternotomy	CT sternum (non-contrast)	1 mm B30f, 1 mm B70f both 0.7 mm increment.	No contrast	Non-contrast CT chest
Pneumothorax? Pneumothorax vs bulla	CT chest volume (non-contrast)	1 mm B30f, 1 mm B70f both 0.7 mm increment.	No contrast	Non-contrast CT chest
Aortic scans may be performed using a dual energy protocol
Aortic dissection? Aneurysm? Acute aortic syndrome	CT angiogram aorta	1 mm B30f, 1 mm B70f both 0.7 mm increment.	Pre contrast aorta followed by cardiac gated CT angiogram or Flash (high pitch) angiogram of the aorta.	Gated CT aorta Flash CT aorta See appendix
Ruptured aortic aneurysm	Pre/arterial/PV	1 mm B30f, 1 mm B70f both 0.7 mm increment.	Pre-contrast, angio (bolus tracked) then PV	Triple phase aorta
Post aortic dissection/aneurysm/EVAR repair first follow up	CT angiogram aorta with pre-contrast	1 mm B30f, 1 mm B70f both 0.7 mm increment.	Bolus tracking with ROI over descending aorta triggers at 100 HU with 6 second delay	CT aorta pre and angio
Post aortic repair surveillance	CT angiogram aorta or MRI, no pre-contrast	1 mm B30f, 1 mm B70f both 0.7 mm increment.	As above	CT angio aorta
Endoleak?	Pre and arterial covering stented aorta. If no leak, but continued sac expansion/type V suspected the 60 second delay	1 mm B30f, 1 mm B70f both 0.7 mm increment.	As above	CT aorta pre and angio (specify which part of aorta)
Acute aortic syndromes	Gated CT angiogram aorta	1 mm B30f, 1 mm B70f both 0.7 mm increment.	Pre contrast aorta followed by retrospective cardiac gated CT angiogram with CT abdo pelvis or Flash (high pitch) angiogram of the aorta.	Gated CT angio aorta with pre-contrast
Aortic coarctation?	CT angiogram aorta	1 mm B30f, 1 mm B70f both 0.7 mm increment.	Bolus tracking with ROI over descending aorta triggers at 100 HU with 6 second delay	CT aorta
Pre-operative aortic diameter/calcification	CT ascending aorta (non-contrast top of arch to mid heart)	1 mm B30f, 1 mm B70f both 0.7 mm increment.	No contrast	CT non-con ascending aorta