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When sending patients for follow up chest CT's after SBRT or chemoRT, how do you determine whether to send for scans with or without IV contrast?

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Mednet Member
Mednet Member
Radiation Oncology · Cleveland Clinic

My rule for lung SBRT has been to minimize the use of contrast given the patient population we are treating (elderly, frail, and a desire to minimize kidney stressors), and the fact that we are following lung parenchymal lesions which are generally well visualized without contrast. I also have never...

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Mednet Member
Mednet Member
Radiation Oncology · University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

If the patient received SBRT or chemo/RT within 5 years, my preference is still chest CT with IV contrast, if the patient doesn’t have a significant allergy for IV contrast. Chest CT with IV contrast has much better image quality to evaluate lymph node status. However, if the patient has no evidence...

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When sending patients for follow up chest CT's after SBRT or chemoRT, how do you determine whether to send for scans with or without IV contrast? | Mednet