A comparative study on contrast enhancement between 0.5- and 2.0-Tesla field strength in rabbit VX2 carcinomas.
OBJECTIVE
Theoretically, the degree of contrast enhancement in magnetic resonance (MR) is affected by magnetic field strength. The authors conducted this study to compare the degree of MR contrast enhancement between 0.5 Tesla (T) and 2.0 T in VX carcinomas of rabbits.


METHODS
In 12 rabbits with VX2 tumors, both 0.5 T and 2.0 T MR imaging was performed within 1 day before and after intravenous injection of gadopentetate dimeglumine. Each rabbit received an initial standard dose (0.1 mmol/KG) followed by and additional standard dose (total, double dose) during the MR study at each field strength. The degree of contrast enhancement in the VX2 tumors was assessed quantitatively.


RESULTS
With standard and double dose studies, overall mean tumor and muscle contrast-to-noise ratio was higher at 2.0 T than 0.5 T by 95% and 81%, respectively. The double dose study showed higher contrast-to-noise ratio than the standard dose study at both field strengths.


CONCLUSIONS
Results indicate that the effect of contrast enhancement increases with field strength.
Ra
D G
DG
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Korea.
Chang
K H
KH
Han
M H
MH
Lee
H J
HJ
Yeon
K M
KM
D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D007089:Image Enhancement; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D011817:Rabbits; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA