Differentiation of spontaneous canine breast tumors using dynamic magnetic resonance imaging with 24-Gadolinium-DTPA-cascade-polymer, a new blood-pool agent. Preliminary experience.
OBJECTIVE
The author assess the enhancement characteristics over time of spontaneous breast tumors in dogs comparing gadopentetate dimeglumine with a new blood-pool agent (24-gadolinium [Gd]-DTPA-cascade polymer).


METHODS
Eighteen dogs with spontaneous breast tumors (5 carcinomas, 4 adenomas, and 9 benign mixed-tissue tumors) underwent dynamic magnetic resonance imaging after intravenous injection of gadopentetate dimeglumine and the blood-pool agent. Signal intensity time curves were followed up to 30 minutes after injection of both agents in the same animal. A nonlinear fitting routine enabled calculation of the delivery and clearance half lives of the contrast agent kinetics in each tumor.


RESULTS
For gadopentetate dimeglumine, a fast signal increase was found immediately after intravenous injection, with a subsequent signal decay in all tumors. No difference was observed between the enhancement kinetics of different tumor types after gadopentetate dimeglumine application. Similar kinetics were found in benign lesions after injection of the blood-pool agent. However, in carcinomas the blood-pool agent displayed a slower delivery, delayed peak enhancement, and slower tumor tissue clearance or even a signal plateau of more than 30 minutes.


CONCLUSIONS
Dynamic magnetic resonance imaging of breast neoplasms using a blood-pool agent may help to better differentiate between benign and malignant lesions because it demonstrates the enlarged interstitial space and increased capillary permeability in carcinomas.
Adam
G
G
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University of Technology Aachen, Germany.
Mühler
A
A
Spüntrup
E
E
Neuerburg
J M
JM
Kilbinger
M
M
Bauer
H
H
Fücezi
L
L
Küpper
W
W
Günther
R W
RW
D000236:Adenoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D000818:Animals; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D003287:Contrast Media; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D004285:Dogs; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D015674:Mammary Neoplasms, Animal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D008536:Meglumine; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D011108:Polymers; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D003287:Contrast Media; D004338:Drug Combinations; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011108:Polymers; C088920:gadolinium-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid-cascade-polymer; D008536:Meglumine; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA