Temporal behavior of intraarticular gadolinium.
OBJECTIVE
As imaging delays during MR arthrography can result in suboptimal studies and potential pitfalls in diagnosis, we sought to evaluate the temporal behavior of intraarticular Gd-DTPA.


METHODS
We prospectively studied four shoulders, four knees, and four hips. Two of each group received either an intraarticular injection of 3 mmol/L Gd-DTPA and iodinated contrast medium or 2 mmol/L Gd-DTPA and 0.9% saline. We measured contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and joint distention on serial T1-weighted sequences. Retrospectively, we measured CNR and imaging delays in 31 MR arthrography patients (20 shoulders, 7 knees, and 4 hips).


RESULTS
In the shoulder, maximal CNR and joint distention occurred at 15 min. CNR decreased 53% by 1 h. In the knee, maximal distention occurred at 1 h, whereas CNR peaked at 2.75 h and then declined 20 and 86% by 3.5 and 6.25 h, respectively. In the hip, peak CNR and distention occurred at 0.5 h. CNR declined 53% by 2 h. Both contrast mixtures yielded similar results.


CONCLUSIONS
MR arthrography may tolerate imaging delays of 1 h for the shoulder, 2 h for the hip, and 3.5 h for the knee.
Wagner
S C
SC
Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
Schweitzer
M E
ME
Weishaupt
D
D
D000328:Adult; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006801:Humans; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013997:Time Factors
D002614:Chelating Agents; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D005682:Gadolinium