BACKGROUND: Tissue-specific gadolinium-based contrast agents such as Gd-BOPTA, Gd-EOB-DTPA are increasingly used for liver imaging. Despite the added value of the hepatobiliary phase a proper arterial phase is still critical, especially in patients with chronic liver diseases. So far, there are limited data in the literature about the effect of the injection speed of Gd-EOB-DTPA in liver and vessel enhancement. PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of injection rate on the enhancement of liver parenchyma and vasculature in Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced liver MRI. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Eighty patients who underwent Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced liver MRI (1.5T multi-channel MR-system) were retrospectively evaluated. We used a Care Bolus technique with an injection rate of 2 mL/s in group 1 (n = 40) and a Care Bolus technique with an injection rate of 1 mL/s in group 2 (n = 40) to determine the start of the arterial-dominant phase. Signal intensities were measured in vascular structures and liver parenchyma. Signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR), SNR increase (SNRi), and percentage enhancement (PE) were calculated and compared by a students t-test. RESULTS: The SNR, SNRi, and PE of the aorta in the arterial phase were significantly higher in group 2 in comparison to group 1 (P = 0.007, P = 0.0043, and P < 0.001, respectively). There were no significant differences concerning the SNR, SNRi, or PE of the portal vein and the normal liver parenchyma between both groups at all time points. CONCLUSION: The study shows that a lower injection rate of 1 mL/s enables a higher enhancement in the aorta in the arterial phase compared with Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI with the more commonly used injection rate of 2 mL/s.
BACKGROUND: Tissue-specific gadolinium-based contrast agents such as Gd-BOPTA, Gd-EOB-DTPA are increasingly used for liver imaging. Despite the added value of the hepatobiliary phase a proper arterial phase is still critical, especially in patients with chronic liver diseases. So far, there are limited data in the literature about the effect of the injection speed of Gd-EOB-DTPA in liver and vessel enhancement. PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of injection rate on the enhancement of liver parenchyma and vasculature in Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced liver MRI. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Eighty patients who underwent Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced liver MRI (1.5T multi-channel MR-system) were retrospectively evaluated. We used a Care Bolus technique with an injection rate of 2 mL/s in group 1 (n = 40) and a Care Bolus technique with an injection rate of 1 mL/s in group 2 (n = 40) to determine the start of the arterial-dominant phase. Signal intensities were measured in vascular structures and liver parenchyma. Signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR), SNR increase (SNRi), and percentage enhancement (PE) were calculated and compared by a students t-test. RESULTS: The SNR, SNRi, and PE of the aorta in the arterial phase were significantly higher in group 2 in comparison to group 1 (P = 0.007, P = 0.0043, and P < 0.001, respectively). There were no significant differences concerning the SNR, SNRi, or PE of the portal vein and the normal liver parenchyma between both groups at all time points. CONCLUSION: The study shows that a lower injection rate of 1 mL/s enables a higher enhancement in the aorta in the arterial phase compared with Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI with the more commonly used injection rate of 2 mL/s.
Authors: Sarah Poetter-Lang; Gregor O Dovjak; Alina Messner; Raphael Ambros; Stephan H Polanec; Pascal A T Baltzer; Antonia Kristic; Alexander Herold; Jacqueline C Hodge; Michael Weber; Nina Bastati; Ahmed Ba-Ssalamah Journal: Eur Radiol Date: 2022-07-27 Impact factor: 7.034
Authors: Hanke J Schalkx; Marijn van Stralen; Kenneth Coenegrachts; Maurice A A J van den Bosch; Charlotte S van Kessel; Richard van Hillegersberg; Karel J van Erpecum; Helena M Verkooijen; Josien P W Pluim; Wouter B Veldhuis; Maarten S van Leeuwen Journal: Eur Radiol Date: 2014-07-05 Impact factor: 5.315
Authors: Elmar M Merkle; Christoph J Zech; Carlo Bartolozzi; Mustafa R Bashir; Ahmed Ba-Ssalamah; Alexander Huppertz; Jeong Min Lee; Jens Ricke; Michiie Sakamoto; Claude B Sirlin; Sheng-Long Ye; Mengsu Zeng Journal: Eur Radiol Date: 2015-06-13 Impact factor: 5.315
Authors: Jimi Huh; So Yeon Kim; Benjamin M Yeh; Seung Soo Lee; Kyoung Won Kim; En-Haw Wu; Z Jane Wang; Li-qin Zhao; Wei Chou Chang Journal: Korean J Radiol Date: 2015-10-26 Impact factor: 3.500