title: First-pass cardiac perfusion: evaluation with ultrafast MR imaging.
abstract: The authors studied cardiac perfusion by administering gadolinium diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) in conjunction with an ultrafast imaging technique that produces strongly T1-weighted images. The method consisted of a 180 degrees inversion pulse, followed by a gradient-echo acquisition with a very short repetition time (less than 4 msec). Each image was acquired throughout a small fraction of the cardiac cycle. The method was applied in an isolated perfused rat heart model (acquisition time = 116 msec) and in human subjects without known cardiac disease (acquisition time = 125 msec). Fast, high-resolution images (128 X 128 matrix) were created by combining sequentially acquired small matrixes. After bolus administration of Gd-DTPA in the perfused rat heart model, contrast was pronounced between the nonperfused myocardium and perfused normal myocardium. First-pass wash-in and washout phases of the contrast material were observed in the perfused rat heart model and in human subjects. Results demonstrated the clinical feasibility of first-pass perfusion studies of the heart. The studies can be performed on a conventional whole-body imaging system with standard hardware.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, MA 02215.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Atkinson
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Burstein
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Edelman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008961:Models, Structural; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA