Objectives To determine the relaxation properties of ferumoxytol, an off-label alternative to gadolinium based contrast agents (GBCA), under physiological conditions at 1.5T and 3.0T. Materials and Methods Ferumoxytol was diluted in gradually increasing concentrations (0.26–4.2 mM) in saline, human plasma and human whole blood. MR relaxometry was performed at 37˚C at 1.5T and 3.0T. Longitudinal and transverse relaxation rate constants (R1, R2, R2*) were measured as a function of ferumoxytol concentration and relaxivities (r1, r2, r2*) were calculated. Results A linear dependence of R1, R2 and R2* on ferumoxytol concentration was found in saline and plasma with lower R1 values at 3.0T and similar R2 and R2* values at 1.5T and 3.0T (1.5T: r1saline = 19.9 ± 2.3 s−1mM−1, r1plasma = 19.0 ± 1.7 s−1mM−1; r2saline = 60.8 ± 3.8 s−1mM−1; r2plasma = 64.9 ± 2.3 s−1mM−1; r2*saline = 60.4 ± 1.3 s−1mM−1; r2*plasma = 64.4 ± 0.3 s−1mM−1; 3.0T: r1saline = 10.0 ± 0.3 s−1mM−1, r1plasma = 9.5 ± 0.2 s−1mM−1; r2saline = 62.3 ± 3.7 s−1mM−1; r2plasma = 65.2 ± 1.8 s−1mM−1; r2*saline = 57.0 ± 3.6 s−1mM−1; r2*plasma = 55.7 ± 4.4 s−1mM−1). The dependence of relaxation rates on concentration in blood was nonlinear. Formulas from 2nd order polynomial fittings of the relaxation rates were calculated to characterize the relationship between R1blood and R2 blood with ferumoxytol. Conclusions Ferumoxytol demonstrates strong longitudinal and transverse relaxivities. Awareness of the nonlinear relaxation behavior of ferumoxytol in blood is important for ferumoxytol-enhanced MRI applications and for protocol optimization.

SWI enables the reliable detection of calcifications in the rotator cuff in patients with calcific tendonitis by using conventional radiography as a reference and offers better sensitivity and specificity than standard rotator cuff MR sequences.

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that in patients with Fabry disease, 2D speckle-tracking echocardiography (2DSTE) could detect functional myocardial alterations such as left ventricular (LV), right ventricular (RV), and left atrial (LA) dysfunction, even when conventional cardiac measurements are normal. In addition, we hypothesized that these global cardiac alterations could be linked to worse symptomatic status in these patients. Fifty patients with Fabry disease and a control group of 118 healthy subjects of similar age and gender were included. The myocardial function and structural changes of the LV, RV, and LA were analyzed by 2DSTE and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Patients with Fabry disease had significantly lower functional myocardial values of the LV, RV, and LA than healthy subjects (LV, RV, and LA strain -18.1 ± 4.0, -21.4 ± 4.9, and 29.7 ± 9.9 % vs. -21.6 ± 2.2, -25.2 ± 4.0, and 44.8 ± 11.1 %, respectively, P < 0.001) and elevated rates of LV, RV, and LA myocardial dysfunction (24, 20, and 26 %, respectively), even when conventional cardiac measurements such as LVEF, TAPSE, and LAVI were normal. LV septal wall thickness ≥15 mm, RV free wall thickness ≥7 mm, and LV longitudinal dysfunction were the principal factors linked to reduced LV, RV, and LA strain, respectively. In addition, but to a lesser extent, LV and RV fibrosis were linked to reduced LV and RV strain. Patients with reduced LV, RV, and LA strain had worse functional class (dyspnea-NYHA classification) than those with normal cardiac function. In conclusion, in patients with Fabry disease, 2DSTE analyses detect LV, RV, and LA functional myocardial alterations, even when conventional cardiac measurements are normal. These functional myocardial alterations are common and significantly associated with worse symptomatic status in Fabry patients. Therefore, these findings provide important evidence to introduce global myocardial analyses using 2DSTE in the early detection of functional cardiac alterations in Fabry disease.

CBV measurements were successfully derived using a combined approach of R and R2* relaxometry. Magn Reson Med 79:3072-3081, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

• High-pitch dual-source coronary angiography is feasible with low contrast media volumes. • Traditional injection rules still apply: higher volumes result in higher enhancement. • The patient's gender is a co-factor determining the level of contrast enhancement. • Volumes can be reduced down to 30-40 mL in selected patients.