L Yao1, A Gentili, L L Seeger. 1. Department of Radiological Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, 90095, USA.
Abstract
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: The authors compared saline and dilute gadopentetate dimeglumine as injectants for magnetic resonance (MR) arthrography. METHODS: Sixty-three lesions were created on the joint surfaces of six pig patellas. MR arthrography (1.5 T) was performed with the specimens in saline and then in 2 mmol gadopentetate dimeglumine by using fat-saturated two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) sequences. Two musculoskeletal radiologists independently interpreted the images. RESULTS: At 2D MR arthrography, reader 1 performed equally well with saline and gadolinium solutes, whereas reader 2 had better sensitivity with the saline solute (P < .05); interobserver agreement was equivalent for saline and gadolinium solutes. With 3D MR arthrography, reader 2 performed equally well with saline and gadolinium solutes, whereas reader 1 had better sensitivity (P < .0001) but poorer specificity (P < .001) with the gadolinium solute; interobserver agreement was significantly better for saline than for gadopentetate dimeglumine (P < .05). CONCLUSION: In this initial evaluation, there was no clear advantage to using gadolinium-enhanced MR arthrography over saline MR arthrography for detecting lesions in porcine hyaline cartilage.
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: The authors compared saline and dilute gadopentetate dimeglumine as injectants for magnetic resonance (MR) arthrography. METHODS: Sixty-three lesions were created on the joint surfaces of six pig patellas. MR arthrography (1.5 T) was performed with the specimens in saline and then in 2 mmol gadopentetate dimeglumine by using fat-saturated two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) sequences. Two musculoskeletal radiologists independently interpreted the images. RESULTS: At 2D MR arthrography, reader 1 performed equally well with saline and gadolinium solutes, whereas reader 2 had better sensitivity with the saline solute (P < .05); interobserver agreement was equivalent for saline and gadolinium solutes. With 3D MR arthrography, reader 2 performed equally well with saline and gadolinium solutes, whereas reader 1 had better sensitivity (P < .0001) but poorer specificity (P < .001) with the gadolinium solute; interobserver agreement was significantly better for saline than for gadopentetate dimeglumine (P < .05). CONCLUSION: In this initial evaluation, there was no clear advantage to using gadolinium-enhanced MR arthrography over saline MR arthrography for detecting lesions in porcine hyaline cartilage.