title: Magnetic resonance epidurography with gadolinium-DTPA.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate and describe MRI epidurography as a new imaging tool. Five volunteers and one patient were investigated with MR epidurography after injection of 20 ml Gd-DPTA solution (1:250/1 ml Gd-DPTA/250 ml normal saline). Magnetic resonance epidurography is possible. With fat-suppression techniques, the contrast between Gd-DPTA solution in the epidural space and surrounding soft tissue proved adequate. Using the multiplanar capability of MRI with MR epidurography coronal and sagittal projections similar to conventional epidurography, axial slices comparable to CT epidurography can be obtained. Magnetic resonance epidurography is superior to conventional and CT epidurography. Presently, due to high costs as compared with conventional and CT epidurography, MRI is not suitable for the routine monitoring of peridural catheters, but it may have a place in the future with decreasing costs for MRI and for the evaluation of patients with spine pathology, especially in describing epidural processes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Tomczak
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Seeling
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mergo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rieber
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aschoff
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Brambs
mesh_terms: D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004824:Epidural Space / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007268:Injections, Epidural; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA