Improved MR coronary angiography with use of a new rapid clearance blood pool contrast agent in pigs.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate in an animal model the potential for clinical use of a new rapid clearance blood pool contrast agent to improve free-breathing and breath-hold magnetic resonance (MR) coronary angiography.


METHODS
Free-breathing and breath-hold MR coronary angiography were performed in a pig model (n = 9) (a) without use of a contrast agent; (b) with P792 (Guerbet Research, Aulnay Sous Bois, France), a monodisperse monogadolinated macromolecular compound that acts as a blood pool contrast agent with rapid clearance properties; and (c) with an extravascular gadolinium-based contrast agent. This resulted in six imaging options, which were compared in terms of contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), signal-to-noise ratio, and vessel length measurements by using the Student t test.


RESULTS
Use of P792 improved CNR and visible vessel length significantly with both MR respiratory motion correction approaches, as compared with nonenhanced MR imaging (P <.05). CNR was improved by 76% (from 5.0 to 8.6) with the free-breathing approach and by 34% (from 6.2 to 8.2) with the breath-hold approach. Visible vessel length was increased by 27% (from 79.7 to 99.2 mm) with the free-breathing approach and by 90% (from 48.2 to 86.5 mm) with the breath-hold approach. The P792-enhanced free-breathing approach allowed more distal visualization of the coronary arteries than did the P792-enhanced breath-hold approach (P <.05). Use of the extravascular contrast agent did not improve image quality significantly when compared with that of nonenhanced MR images.


CONCLUSIONS
Use of P792 improves coronary artery MR imaging in conjunction with free-breathing and breath-hold approaches.
Dirksen
Martijn S
MS
Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, Rm 62, Post Zone C2-S, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands. m.s.dirksen@lumc.nl
Lamb
Hildo J
HJ
Kunz
Patrik
P
Robert
Philippe
P
Corot
Claire
C
de Roos
Albert
A
D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008536:Meglumine; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D013552:Swine; D013997:Time Factors
D003287:Contrast Media; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D008536:Meglumine; D005682:Gadolinium; C072417:gadoterate meglumine; C435266:contrast agent P792