American Journal of Roentgenology, Vol 170, 345-348, Copyright © 1998 by American Roentgen Ray Society

ARTICLES

Differences in injection rates on contrast-enhanced breath-hold three- dimensional MR angiography

L Kopka, R Vosshenrich, J Rodenwaldt and E Grabbe
Department of Radiology, Hospital of Georg-August-University, Goettingen, Germany.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the optimization of injection rates with an automatic power injector versus manual injection for contrast-enhanced breath-hold three-dimensional (3D) MR angiography of the abdominal aorta and its branches. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In a prospective study, 50 patients underwent breath-hold 3D MR angiography (5/2 [TR/TE]; flip angle, 30 degrees) of the abdominal vessels on a 1.5-T system. Each patient received 0.15 mmol/kg of gadopentetate dimeglumine. All patients were randomly assigned to one of five equally sized groups. The contrast bolus was injected manually in group 1, always by the same investigator, who tried to perform a steady injection rate of 2 ml/sec. An automatic injector was used in groups 2-5 with injection flow rates of 0.5 ml/sec, 2 ml/sec, 4 ml/sec, and 6 ml/sec. The start of the MR sequence was tailored individually to the applied volume of contrast material after determination of circulation times by a test bolus. We measured the signal-to-noise and contrast-to-noise ratios as well as the relative vascular enhancement. The visualization of different abdominal vessel segments was independently ranked on a scale of 1-5 (1 = not visible; 5 = excellent visualization) by three reviewers who were unaware of the applied contrast material injection rate. RESULTS: The signal-to-noise and contrast-to-noise ratios of groups 3 and 4 (2 ml/sec and 4 ml/sec, respectively) were significantly (p < .05) higher than the ratios of groups 1, 2, and 5. The average relative vascular enhancement of groups 3 and 4 was significantly higher (p < .05) than the enhancement of all other groups. The contrast bolus applied with a faster injection rate (group 5) did not cover large parts of the K-space, resulting in increased blurring of the vessel contours. The subjective evaluation of large and small diameter vessels showed significantly better results in groups 3 and 4 than in groups 1, 2, and 5. CONCLUSION: The use of an automatic MR power injector proved superior to manual injection of contrast material. The optimal injection rate was 2 ml/sec for 3D breath-hold MR angiography of the abdominal vessels.
CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. Ersoy and F. J. Rybicki MR Angiography of the Lower Extremities Am. J. Roentgenol., June 1, 2008; 190(6): 1675 - 1684. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. J. Schaefer, F. P. Boudghene, H. J. Brambs, M. Bret-Zurita, J. L. Caniego, R. A. Coulden, H. B. Gehl, R. Hammerstingl, A. Huber, R. J. Mendez, et al. Abdominal and Iliac Arterial Stenoses: Comparative Double-blinded Randomized Study of Diagnostic Accuracy of 3D MR Angiography with Gadodiamide or Gadopentetate Dimeglumine Radiology, March 1, 2006; 238(3): 827 - 840. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. L. Zhang, B. Y. Ho, M. Chao, K. C. Kent, H. L. Bush, P. L. Faries, A. I. Benvenisty, and M. R. Prince Decreased Venous Contamination on 3D Gadolinium-Enhanced Bolus Chase Peripheral MR Angiography Using Thigh Compression Am. J. Roentgenol., October 1, 2004; 183(4): 1041 - 1047. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. P. Kunz, K. Oberholzer, W. Kuroczynski, G. Horstick, F. Krummenauer, M. Thelen, and K.-F. Kreitner Assessment of Chronic Aortic Dissection: Contribution of Different ECG-Gated Breath-Hold MRI Techniques Am. J. Roentgenol., May 1, 2004; 182(5): 1319 - 1326. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. T. Bae Peak Contrast Enhancement in CT and MR Angiography: When Does It Occur and Why? Pharmacokinetic Study in a Porcine Model Radiology, June 1, 2003; 227(3): 809 - 816. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. A. Thurnher, A. Capelastegui, F. H. Del Olmo, R. F. Dondelinger, C. Gervás, A. G. Jassoy, P. Keto, C. Loewe, C. N. Ludman, L. Marti-Bonmati, et al. Safety and Effectiveness of Single- versus Triple-Dose Gadodiamide Injection- enhanced MR Angiography of the Abdomen: A Phase III Double-Blind Multicenter Study Radiology, April 1, 2001; 219(1): 137 - 146. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				X. Leclerc, L. Nicol, J.-Y. Gauvrit, V. L. Thuc, D. Leys, and J.-P. Pruvo Contrast-enhanced MR Angiography of Supraaortic Vessels: The Effect of Voxel Size on Image Quality AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., June 1, 2000; 21(6): 1021 - 1027. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. B. J. M. Korst, F. B. M. Joosten, C. T. Postma, G. J. Jager, J. K. Krabbe, and J. O. Barentsz Accuracy of Normal-Dose Contrast-Enhanced MR Angiography in Assessing Renal Artery Stenosis and Accessory Renal Artery Stenosis and Accessory Renal Arteries Am. J. Roentgenol., March 1, 2000; 174(3): 629 - 634. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Mitsuzaki, Y. Yamashita, I. Ogata, Y. Tang, T. Namimoto, and M. Takahashi Optimal Protocol for Injection of Contrast Material at MR Angiography: Study of Healthy Volunteers Radiology, December 1, 1999; 213(3): 913 - 918. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				L. Kopka, J. Rodenwaldt, R. Vosshenrich, U. Fischer, B. Renner, T. Lorf, J. Graessner, B. Ringe, and E. Grabbe Hepatic Blood Supply: Comparison of Optimized Dual Phase Contrast-enhanced Three-dimensional MR Angiography and Digital Subtraction Angiography Radiology, April 1, 1999; 211(1): 51 - 58. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				V. S. Lee, N. M. Rofsky, G. A. Krinsky, D. H. Stemerman, and J. C. Weinreb Single-Dose Breath-hold Gadolinium-enhanced Three-dimensional MR Angiography of the Renal Arteries Radiology, April 1, 1999; 211(1): 69 - 78. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				A. N. Shetty, K. G. Bis, A. J. Duerinckx, and V. R. Narra Lower Extremity MR Angiography: Universal Retrofitting of High-Field-Strength Systems with Stepping Kinematic Imaging Platforms—Initial Experience Radiology, January 1, 2002; 222(1): 284 - 291. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]