title: Single-dose gadolinium with magnetization transfer versus triple-dose gadolinium in the MR detection of multiple sclerosis lesions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the efficacy of single-dose gadolinium with magnetization transfer contrast (MTC) with that of triple-dose gadolinium in detecting enhancing multiple sclerosis lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one patients with multiple sclerosis were examined with MR imaging first with 0.1 mmol/kg gadolinium (single dose) and then, after 24 to 72 hours, with 0.3 mmol/kg gadolinium (triple dose). T2-weighted fast spin-echo and T1-weighted spin-echo MR images with and without MTC were obtained before contrast administration followed by either T1-weighted spin-echo images with MTC (single dose) or conventional T1-weighted spin-echo images (triple dose), starting 5, 17, and 29 minutes after contrast administration. All images were evaluated in a blinded fashion and scored in random order by two readers. Outcome parameters included number of enhancing lesions, number of active MR examinations (those containing at least one enhancing lesion), contrast ratio (signal intensity of enhancing lesion divided by signal intensity of normal-appearing white matter), and size of enhancing lesions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-one percent more enhancing lesions and 49% more active MR examinations were detected when a triple dose of gadolinium was used as compared with a single dose. The level of agreement between readers as to the number of enhancing lesions was significantly higher for triple-dose than for single-dose gadolinium. With triple-dose gadolinium, contrast ratios and areas of enhancement increased by 10% and 33%, respectively. Delayed imaging increased the size of the lesion by 11% on single-dose MTC images and by 18% on triple-dose images.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Triple-dose gadolinium is more effective (higher sensitivity and interobserver agreement) than single-dose gadolinium in combination with MTC in detecting enhancing multiple sclerosis lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, MR Centre for MS Research, and the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Academic Hospital Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: van Waesberghe
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Castelijns
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Roser
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Silver
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yousry
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Lycklama à Nijeholt
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Adèr
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Uitdehaag
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Radue
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Polman
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kappos
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Barkhof
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015588:Observer Variation
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D005682:Gadolinium