title: Superparamagnetic iron oxide: detection of focal liver lesions at high-field-strength MR imaging.
abstract: AMI-25 was evaluated at 1.5 T as a superparamagnetic iron oxide contrast agent for the liver. Sixteen patients with up to five suspected focal liver lesions were examined with T1-, proton-density-, and T2-weighted spin-echo sequences before and after intravenous administration of AMI-25 (15 mumol/kg iron). The contrast-to-noise ratio (C/N) increased from 1.8 to 3.5 on 600/15 (TR msec/TE msec) images and from 1.7 to 7.9 on 2,500/15 images after AMI-25 administration (P < .01). C/N did not change significantly on 2,500/90 images. Two blinded readers counted the number of lesions visible on unenhanced and contrast-enhanced images, with the 32 sets of images of the 16 patients presented in random order. Both readers identified more lesions on AMI-25-enhanced images, but the difference was not statistically significant (P > .05). Two patients reported minor side effects (flushing, sensation of heat, lower back pain). On the basis of the results obtained in a limited number of patients, the authors conclude that at 1.5 T, AMI-25 does not significantly improve the detection of focal liver lesions on conventional spin-echo images.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Duda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laniado
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Kopp
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grönewäller
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Aicher
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pavone
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jehle
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Claussen
mesh_terms: D003287:Contrast Media / Q000009:adverse effects; D003911:Dextrans; D005260:Female; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide; D005685:Galactans / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007501:Iron / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010087:Oxides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: C088923:BMS 180550; D003287:Contrast Media; D003911:Dextrans; D005685:Galactans; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D010087:Oxides; D007501:Iron; C065507:ferumoxides; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide