title: Experimental acute pancreatitis: MR relaxation time studies using gadolinium-DTPA.
abstract: Spin-lattice (T1) and spin-spin (T2) relaxation times of normal and sodium taurocholate-induced pancreatitis (38 rats) were determined in vitro using a 10.7-MHz magnetic resonance (MR) spectrometer. The increase in pancreatic T1 time in acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis correlated well with the elevated water content of the organ. Gadolinium-DTPA did not affect significantly the relaxation times of normal pancreas in vitro during 1 t 20 min postinjection, but it decreased the elevated T1 times of inflamed pancreas almost to baseline values. MR imaging studies of rat pancreas in vivo (8 rats, 0.35-T resistive magnet) indicated that the swollen pancreas and associated edema were depicted using a T2-weighted SE sequence. Fifteen minutes postinjection of gadolinium-DTPA a homogeneous enhancement of inflamed pancreas was detected. The differentiation of pancreatic necrotic foci from surrounding viable tissue and edema could not be detected on Gd-DTPA-enhanced MR images after 15 min postinjection although microscopical workup indicated these different tissue constituents in the pancreas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University of Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Paajanen
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Brasch
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Dean
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D001834:Body Water / Q000032:analysis; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D010179:Pancreas / Q000032:analysis; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA