Thick-section half-Fourier rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement MR cholangiopancreatography: effects of i.v. administration of gadolinium chelate.
OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to investigate the effects of i.v. administration of gadolinium chelate on thick-section MR cholangiopancreatography performed with half-Fourier rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement sequence.


METHODS
Unenhanced and enhanced MR cholangiopancreatograms obtained in 50 consecutive patients were quantitatively analyzed with region-of-interest measurements and were qualitatively evaluated by three independent radiologists unaware the patient information. A phantom study was performed to verify the effects.


RESULTS
The mean contrast-to-noise ratios of the gallbladder, common bile duct, and main pancreatic duct significantly increased after gadolinium chelate administration (p < 0.005). The mean depiction score of the main pancreatic duct increased significantly with one radiologist (p < 0.05) and marginally with another (p < 0.06), and the mean depiction scores of the background structures and renal pelvis significantly decreased with all three radiologists (p < 0.001). The phantom study showed the results, indicating that T2- and T2(*)-shortening effects of gadolinium chelate caused the effects in vivo.


CONCLUSIONS
i.v. administration of gadolinium chelate improves the depiction of pancreaticobiliary ducts in some selected patients, while decreasing the depiction in others with less frequency. There may be a value of enhanced MR cholangiopancreatography when unenhanced MR cholangiopancreatography is not sufficient.
Kanematsu
Masayuki
M
Department of Radiology, Gifu University School of Medicine, 40 Tsukasamachi, Gifu, 500-8705, Japan.
Matsuo
Masayuki
M
Shiratori
Yoshimune
Y
Kondo
Hiroshi
H
Hoshi
Hiroaki
H
Yasuda
Ichiro
I
Moriwaki
Hisataka
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001659:Biliary Tract / Q000473:pathology*; D001660:Biliary Tract Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D003135:Common Bile Duct / Q000473:pathology; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D010179:Pancreas / Q000473:pathology*; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D010183:Pancreatic Ducts / Q000473:pathology; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging
D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA