Dynamic Gd-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging of the kidney: comparison between T1- and T2-weighted sequences.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether T1- or T2-weighted sequences are more informative and practical in dynamic Gd-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging for the evaluation of renal blood flow and function.


METHODS
Dynamic Gd-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging of the kidney was performed in 7 patients by either T1-weighted TurboFLASH (TR/TE/TI/FA = 9/4/27/8) or T2-weighted FLASH (TR/TE/FA = 32/22/10) sequences for comparison of the enhancement pattern. None of the subjects had a suspicion of renal dysfunction from laboratory data, and the absence of renal artery stenosis was confirmed by conventional angiography.


RESULTS
During the early phase, the marked signal increase in T1-weighted imaging in the renal cortex corresponded to a similar marked decrease in signal intensity in T2-weighted imaging. During the middle and late phases, the medulla was dramatically decreased in intensity on the T2-weighted imaging resulting in a good contrast between the cortex and medulla.


CONCLUSIONS
Both sequences may provide almost similar information about the renal cortical blood flow. However, T2-weighted dynamic MR imaging may be more informative than T1-weighted dynamic MR imaging about the concentrating ability in the renal medulla. A high concentration of Gd-DTPA in the tubular structure was suspected to cause a dramatic decrease in intensity in the medulla in T2-weighted imaging.
Tsushima
Y
Y
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Turku University Hospital, Finland.
Niemi
P
P
Komu
M
M
Dean
P B
PB
Haapanen
A
A
Kormano
M
M
D000328:Adult; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D012079:Renal Circulation
D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA