Dynamic gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging in active and inactive immunoinflammatory gonarthritis.
Dynamic T1-weighted FLASH MR imaging, obtained just after i.v. gadopentetate dimeglumine injection, and pre- and postcontrast T1-weighted spin-echo (T1-SE) MR imaging were performed to compare their information value with respect to inflammatory activity in immunoinflammatory gonarthritis. We examined 16 clinically active (CAG), 7 clinically inactive (CIG) and 4 healthy knees. The synovium of a preselected slice was outlined. Its area and relative signal intensity increase after gadopentetate dimeglumine on T1-SE and FLASH (at each time t) were calculated. The CAG knees showed a mean signal intensity increase on early dynamic FLASH images higher by far than the CIG knees, while no significant difference was found on spin-echo images obtained 5 to 15 min after contrast injection. The early signal enhancement probably reflects the perfusion and capillary permeability of the synovium. The area of synovium could differentiate between healthy and arthritic knees. Gadolinium-enhanced dynamic FLASH imaging may provide clinically useful information about the actual inflammatory activity of arthritic joints.
Ostergaard
M
M
Department of Rheumatology, Hvidovre Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Lorenzen
I
I
Henriksen
O
O
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001168:Arthritis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016918:Arthritis, Reactive / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D011859:Radiography
D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA