Experimental renal artery embolization in a combined MR imaging/angiographic unit.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to use a combined x-ray angiography and MR imaging (XMR) system to manipulate intraarterial catheters and monitor the deposition of gadolinium (Gd)-impregnated embolic microspheres in vivo in a canine kidney model.


METHODS
Seven anesthetized dogs (18-28 kg) were studied. The renal arteries were catheterized under fluoroscopic guidance. Renal blood flow rates were assessed with velocity-encoded cine MR imaging before and after renal artery embolization with Gd-impregnated microspheres (300-500 and 500-700 micro m in size). The particles were injected in vivo into 14 canine renal arteries under fast dynamic T1-weighted MR imaging guidance at one frame per second. Postembolic microsphere distributions were assessed with MR imaging and digital subtraction angiography (DSA).


RESULTS
Gd-impregnated microsphere injection into the renal arteries was successful in all animals. Renal enhancement due to the deposition of the particles persisted for at least 1 hour after the injection. The distribution of MR signal enhancement in the kidneys differed for the smaller versus the larger microspheres. The 300-500- micro m microspheres deposited preferentially in the outer cortical regions, whereas the 500-700- micro m microspheres preferentially deposited in the medulla and inner cortex. Renal blood flow was significantly reduced after the administration of both the 300-500- micro m microspheres (from 3.9 to 1.0 mL/min/g) and the 500-700- micro m microspheres (from 3.5 to 0.2 mL/min/g).


CONCLUSIONS
MR imaging permits real-time guidance of arterial embolization with Gd-impregnated microspheres.
D000792:Angiography; D000818:Animals; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004285:Dogs; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007269:Injections, Intra-Arterial; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine; D015641:Radiography, Interventional; D012077:Renal Artery; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA