Equilibrium phase MR angiography of the aortic arch and abdominal vasculature with the blood pool contrast agent CMD-A2-Gd-DOTA in pigs.

Meglumine-carboxymethyldextran-ethylenediamino-gadoterate (CMD-A2-Gd-DOTA) was evaluated as a blood pool contrast agent for magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). MRA of large body vasculature was performed in seven pigs using a gradient-echo sequence at 1.5 T before and after 0.05 mmol/kg CMD-A2-Gd-DOTA injection. The signal- and contrast-to-noise ratios (SNRs, CNRs) were measured, as well as the pharmacokinetic clearance pattern. CMD-A2-Gd-DOTA visualized the vasculature with a high SNR and CNR for over 110 minutes after injection, but for the renal arteries the CNR was only significant within 15 minutes. Image quality was maximum within 15 minutes, producing enhancement (mean +/- SD) as follows: aortic arch 738 +/- 272%, abdominal aorta 393 +/- 123%, left renal artery 202 +/- 95%, right renal artery 248 +/- 107%, inferior vena cava 371 +/- 129%, and portal vein 513 +/- 145%, all P values < or =0.001. The clearance pattern was triphasic. Due to the excellent enhancement of vasculature without background enhancement, CMD-A2-Gd-DOTA is potentially a useful MR blood pool contrast agent for equilibrium phase MRA.