Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography: dose the test dose bolus represent the main dose bolus accurately?
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the time-intensity curves acquired by test and main dose contrast injections for MR angiography are similar.


METHODS
In 11 patients, repeated contrast-enhanced 2D-turbo-FLASH scans with 1-sec interval were obtained. Both test and main dose time intensity curves were acquired from the abdominal aorta, and the parameters of time-intensity curves for the test and main boluses were compared. The parameters used were arterial and venous enhancement times, arterial peak enhancement time, arteriovenous circulation time, enhancement duration and enhancement expansion ratio.


RESULTS
Between the main and test boluses, arterial and venous enhancement times and arteriovenous circulation time showed statistically significant correlation (p < 0.01), with correlation coefficients of 0.95, 0.92 and 0.98 respectively. Although the enhancement duration was definitely greater than infusion time, reasonable measurement of the end enhancement point in the main bolus was impossible.


CONCLUSIONS
Only arterial and venous enhancement times and arteriovenous circulation time of the main bolus could be predicted from the test-bolus results. The use of these reliable parameters would lead to improvements in the scan timing method for MR angiography.
Lee
J J
JJ
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Kyungpook National University, Taegu, Korea. jonglee@knu.ac.kr
Chang
Y
Y
Kang
D S
DS
D000328:Adult; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors
D003287:Contrast Media; C064925:gadodiamide; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA