title: Gadobenate dimeglumine (Gd-DTPA) vs gadopentetate dimeglumine (Gd-BOPTA) for contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (MRA): improvement in intravascular signal intensity and contrast to noise ratio.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to compare contrast enhanced MR angiography (MRA) with gadopentetate dimeglumine (Gd-DTPA) to MRA with gadobenate dimeglumine (Gd-BOPTA), a high relaxivity paramagnetic contrast agent.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve patients referred for carotid artery stenosis were examined with MR angiography using a fast spoiled gradient echo sequence. Gd-DTPA and Gd-BOPTA enhanced MR angiography were performed within 48-72 hours using a dose of 0.1 mmol/kg for Gd-BOPTA and 0.2 mmol/kg for Gd-DTPA, at a flow rate of 2 ml/s. Images were evaluated by two blinded radiologists. Qualitative and quantitative evaluations were performed comparing the sets of images from the two examinations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Qualitative evaluation demonstrated superior arterial contrast enhancement and vessel conspicuity with Gd-BOPTA compared with Gd-DTPA. Quantita-tive evaluation showed an improvement in both signal intensity and contrast to noise ratio with Gd-BOPTA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The greater relaxivity of Gd-BOPTA, at lower doses, compared with Gd-DTPA, provides higher intravascular signal and signal to noise ratio. Gd-BOPTA appears to be an optimal contrast agent for contrast enhanced MRA.
authors.affiliation: II Cattedra di Radiologia, Univrersità degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza, Rome, Italy. federica.pediconi@uniromal.it
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pediconi
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fraioli
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Catalano
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Napoli
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Danti
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Francone
authors.forename: Fiammetta
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Venditti
authors.forename: Piergiorgio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nardis
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Passariello
mesh_terms: D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008536:Meglumine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C064572:gadobenic acid; D008536:Meglumine; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA