Gadolinium-enhanced three-dimensional MR angiography of the aorta and peripheral arteries: evaluation of a multistation examination using two gadopentetate dimeglumine infusions.

Abstract

JamesP.Earls1'2 NileshH.Patel1 PatriciaA. Smith2 SalvatoreDeSena2 Mark H.Meissner3OBJECTIVE. Three-dimensionalgadolinium-enhanced MR angiographyis a rapid and accurate method that can at times image only a limited amount of anatomy during an exami nation. We evaluated a technique that doubled the anatomy imaged by obtaining two separate gadolinium-enhanced MR angiograms during a single examination.MATERIALS AND METHODS. Twenty-threepatientsreferredfor MR evaluationof aortic or peripheral vascular disease underwent two successive gadolinium-enhanced three dimensional MR angiographic examinations during a single MR examination. An injection of 15 ml of gadopentetatedimeglumine was used for the first MR angiogram, and 25 ml was used for the second MR angiogram. The angiograms were quantitatively and qualitatively evaluatedto determine the effect of residual gadolinium from the initial MR angiogram on the secondangiogram.RESULTS.The two studiesdepictedeithertheentireaortato the femoralarteries(n = 10) or the distal aorta to the popliteal arteries (n = 13). The total mean gadolinium dose was 0.245 mmol/kg per patient.An averageof 15 mm elapsedbetweeninjections.The value of arterial signal-to-noise ratio (mean, 48.8 versus 56.4) and artery-to-vein contrast-to-noise ratio (mean, 45.5 versus 49.0) increased between the first and second angiograms, respectively. Re sidual gadolinium elevated the values for venous signal-to-noise ratio (mean, 2.3 versus 7.2) and background-to-muscle signal-to-noise ratio (mean, 5.5 versus 10.1) on the second MR angiogram. Qualitative evaluation by three observers showed no significant differences in di agnostic usefulness or overall image quality between the first and second MR angiograms. CONCLUSION. The useoftwo low-dosegadolinium-enhanced three-dimensional MR angiograms during a single examination is a feasible approach to increase anatomic coverage when performing gadolinium-enhancedthree-dimensionalMR angiographyof the aortaand peripheral vessels. Although background enhancement is slightly elevated on the second angiogram, such enhancement does not significantly change diagnostic usefulness or overall image quality.C adolinium-enhanced three-dimen

Peripheral moving‐table contrast‐enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE‐MRA) using a prototype 18‐channel peripheral vascular coil and scanning parameters optimized to the patient's individual hemodynamics

“…4 and 5). The chosen injection rates were based on our desire to use a total 40 mL contrast agent, our prior experience with pCE-MRA, and literature suggesting the benefits of a biphasic bolus (4).…”

MR Angiography and Development: Review of Clinical Applications

“…It is possible that this was due to this region lying at the edge of the field of view and the coil as mentioned earlier. In terms of the diagnostic quality of images acquired, the results of the studies again indicate superiority for Gd-BOPTA [63]; the overall diagnostic quality score out of a maximum possible score of 18 was 17.4 ± 1.5 for Gd-BOPTA and 13.8 ± 2.4 for Gd-DTPA [64] [63]. Significantly, there were no vascular segments in which diagnostic quality was determined to be poor following Gd-BOPTA administration [63].…”

Diagnostic accuracy of three-dimensional contrast-enhanced automatic moving-table MR angiography in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease in comparison with digital subtraction angiography

“…Previously, when we needed to image large areas we obtained multiple gadolinium-enhanced 3D MR angiograms during a single examination (17).…”