The aims of this study were to obtain the normal ranges of enhancement parameters for salivary gland in dynamic CT and to investigate the effects of fasting time on contrast enhancement in clinically normal beagle dogs. With five healthy beagle dogs, dynamic CT examination was performed according to fasting times (as fasting times, 12hours, 0 min, 20 min, 40 min, 1 hours, 6 hours, 24 hours). In normal beagles with 12hours fasting, enhancement parameters through the preliminary study were as follows: ImaxA - 472 .49 ± 19.01 HU; ImaxS - 138.95 ± 6.2 5 HU; TmaxA - 25.8 ± 1.79 sec; TmaxS - 69.0 ± 23.11 sec; Teq - 80.5 ± 6.61 sec; T-Aeq - 54.5 ± 5.51 sec (Imax - peak enhancement; Tmax - time to peak enhancement; Teq - time to equilibrium phase; T-Aeq - time between peak enhancement in the common carotid artery and onset of the equilibrium phase; A - common carotid; S - submandibular gland; HU - Hounsfield unit). Additionally, ImaxA and ImaxS were significantly increased in 40 min after eating. Because these results associated with postprandial hemodynamic changes can make the diagnosis of salivary gland diseases more difficult, sufficient fasting time is important for accurate diagnosis.

Keywords: contrast enhancement, dogs, dynamic computed tomography, enhancement parameters, salivary gland