[When is it meaningful to support magnetic resonance tomography by administering a positive enteral contrast medium?--an account of practical experience].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate in which parts of the gastrointestinal tract and in what clinical situations the diagnostic quality of MR examination may be improved by a positive enteral contrast agent.


METHODS
MR examinations of 37 patients performed before and after application of a Gadolinium-DTPA preparation suitable for oral and rectal application were evaluated. Exams were evaluated by two independent observers. Neoplastic disease of the gastrointestinal tract constituted the majority of indications followed by inflammatory changes and extraenteral space-occupying lesions.


RESULTS
The majority of examinations (62%) were improved by the application of enteral contrast agent. No effect was observed in 35%; in two patients image quality was poorer after contrast application. The benefit of enteral contrast agents was highest in MR examinations of the sigma and rectum. The enteral contrast agent was most valuable in the detection of lymphoma if an evaluation according to indication was performed.


CONCLUSIONS
In selected cases, the diagnostic quality of abdominal MRI can be improved by the application of an enteral contrast agent. Apart from the effect of greater signal intensity, the contrast agent does complement MR imaging by a functional aspect.
Hosten
N
N
Strahlenklinik und Poliklinik, Virchow-Klinikum der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.
Hoffmann
K T
KT
Pflästerer-Schönsiegel
M
M
Keske
U
U
Felix
R
R
D000008:Abdominal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000285:Administration, Rectal; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D015588:Observer Variation; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D012811:Sigmoid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis
D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA