Is postcontrast trueFISP imaging advantageous?
OBJECTIVE
Contrast of trueFISP images depends mainly on the T2/T1 ratio. Consequently, there is a potential gain in signal intensity after administration of paramagnetic contrast medium despite the strong T2 weighting. The purpose of this study was to analyze signal intensities of abdominal organs after applying contrast medium and to determine whether this yields an improved contrast for pathologies compared with precontrast trueFISP.


METHODS
Fifty patients underwent an abdominal examination, including the trueFISP sequence before and after the administration of contrast medium. All images were obtained with a 1.5 T system. The mean signal-to-noise ratio before and after contrast medium was assessed for abdominal organs, vessels, muscle, and fat. The contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of pathologic lesions was calculated.


RESULTS
The trueFISP sequence yielded a higher signal-to-noise ratio after application of contrast medium for all organs except for fat and the aorta. CNR of solid lesions (angiomyolipoma, liver adenoma, liver hemangioma, hepatocellular carcinoma) increased whereas contrast of cysts decreased.


CONCLUSIONS
TrueFISP imaging after application of contrast medium led to better CNR for many solid lesions while cysts showed a diminished contrast. We advise trueFISP imaging sequences before and after contrast medium application.
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University of Technology, Aachen, Germany. jung@rad.rwth-aachen.de
Bettina
B
Jung
Gabriele A
GA
Krombach
Rolf W
RW
Günther
Arno
A
Buecker
D000005:Abdomen / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000473:pathology; D010192:Pancreatic Pseudocyst / Q000175:diagnosis; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology; D013159:Splenic Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis
D003287:Contrast Media