title: Pulsed magnetization transfer contrast for MR imaging with application to breast.
abstract: The relative populations and transverse relaxation times of the solid-like hydrogen pool (PB and T2B) and the magnetization transfer (MT) rates between the solid-like and liquid-like hydrogen pools (kappa) have been determined for three different agar gel concentrations (2%, 4%, and 8% by weight) as well as excised fibroglandular breast tissue specimens. PB was determined to be .003(.001), .01(.002), .02(.01), and .06(.01); T2B was determined to be 13.0(.2), 14.0(.1), 14.5(.1) and 15.2(1.3) microseconds; and kappa was determined to be 0.78(.01), 1.15(.02), 2.00(.02), and 3.55(1.5) sec-1 for the 2%, 4%, and 8% agar gels and the fibroglandular tissue, respectively. The image signal intensities of a pulsed MTC-prepared gradient-echo imaging technique are predicted using these MT parameters and are shown to agree well with experimental data obtained from a clinical MR imaging system. This technique is shown to suppress signal intensity of fibroglandular breast tissue by 40%-50% without exceeding SAR limits (< or = 8 W/kg) and is helpful for visualizing lesions and silicone implants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706, USA.
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Santyr
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kelcz
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schneider
mesh_terms: D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology*; D018427:Breast Implants; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D018226:Fibroadenoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008280:Magnetics; D012828:Silicones
chemical_list: D012828:Silicones