Original Research

Improved vessel delineation in keyhole time-resolved contrast-enhanced MR angiography using a gadolinium doped flush

  1. Jan Beranek-Chiu MD1,2,
  2. John M. Froehlich PhD2,
  3. Klaus U. Wentz MD3,4,
  4. Alexis N. Doert MD1,
  5. Christoph L. Zollikofer MD1,
  6. Boris P. Eckhardt MD1,*

Article first published online: 22 APR 2009

DOI: 10.1002/jmri.21761

Issue

Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Volume 29, Issue 5, pages 1147–1153, May 2009

Additional Information

How to Cite

Beranek-Chiu, J., Froehlich, J. M., Wentz, K. U., Doert, A. N., Zollikofer, C. L. and Eckhardt, B. P. (2009), Improved vessel delineation in keyhole time-resolved contrast-enhanced MR angiography using a gadolinium doped flush. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging, 29: 1147–1153. doi: 10.1002/jmri.21761

Author Information

  1. 1

    Cantonal Hospital, Department of Radiology, Winterthur, Switzerland

  2. 2

    Guerbet AG, Zurich, Switzerland

  3. 3

    Department of Radiology, Thurgau Cantonal Hospitals, Muensterlingen, Switzerland

  4. 4

    University Witten-Herdecke, Witten, Germany

*Institute of Radiology, Kantonsspital Winterthur, Brauerstr. 15, 8401 Winterthur, Switzerland

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 22 APR 2009
  2. Article first published online: 22 APR 2009
  3. Manuscript Received: 4 AUG 2008
  4. Manuscript Accepted: 9 FEB 2008

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Keywords:

  • magnetic resonance angiography;
  • gadolinium;
  • gadoterate;
  • carotid artery;
  • internal;
  • cerebral vessels;
  • cineangiography

Abstract

Purpose

To prospectively assess the influence of a gadolinium doped saline flush compared with a pure saline flush on the image quality of the supra-aortic vessels using time-resolved contrast-enhanced MR angiography (4D CE-MRA) in a randomized double blind clinical trial.

Materials and Methods

Twenty-two patients scheduled for contrast-enhanced craniocerebral MRI underwent a supplemental 4D CE-MRA covering the carotids to the superior sinus consisting of 30 dynamics of a T1-weighted 3D gradient-echo sequence (FFE) in sagittal direction. The temporal resolution of 1.1 s per dataset was achieved using the keyhole technique with the reference scan acquired at the end. Immediately after the intravenous (IV) injection of 0.1 mmol Gd/kg body weight of gadoterate, our patients received a 50-mL flush consisting either of a 0.9% saline solution (n = 11) or doped with 50 mM gadolinium (n = 11; total Gd: 0.11 mmol/kg) at a flow-rate of 2 mL/s. Vessel delineation, image quality, signal-to-noise- (SNR) and contrast-to-noise (CNR) ratios over time were compared.

Results

Both vessel delineation (internal carotid artery [ICA]: slopesaline = 308.5; slopeGd = 528.9; P = 0.006; superior sagittal sinus [SSS]: slopesaline = 505.3; slopeGd = 674.9; P = 0.007) and CNR (ICA: CNRsaline = 57.3; CNRGd = 80.55; P = 0.0417; SSS: CNRsaline = 74.15; CNRGd = 117.4; P = 0.0331) of the ICA and SSS were significantly increased using the gadolinium doped flush.

Conclusion

A low concentrated gadolinium flush in comparison to a pure saline flush improves significantly vessel contrast and their delineation in time-resolved CE-MRA using the keyhole technique. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2009;29:1147–1153. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

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