Combined use of the intravascular blood-pool agent, gadomer, and carbon dioxide: a novel type of double-contrast magnetic resonance angiography (MRA).
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the combined use of carbon dioxide (CO(2)) and a gadolinium-based blood-pool agent for magnetic resonance angiography (MRA).


METHODS
After an initial intravenous injection of the blood-pool agent Gadomer (Schering AG, Germany), repeated transcatheter CO(2) injections were performed in the aorta and the renal arteries of two fully-anesthetized pigs. Real-time images were acquired using a true fast imaging with steady-state precession (FISP) sequence.


RESULTS
During the CO(2) injections, the Gadomer-enhanced blood was totally replaced, resulting in an immediate, temporary, total signal loss in the vessel lumen. Susceptibility artifacts during the injections or catheter manipulations rarely occurred.


CONCLUSIONS
Due to T1-shortening, the circulating blood-pool agent prevents flow artifacts during catheter manipulations because the steady-state is reached much earlier. Therefore, this double-contrast MRA method improves catheter conspicuity and might be helpful for guiding and controlling intravascular procedures during interventional MRI.
Maes
Robbert M
RM
Department of Radiology, Gemini-Ziekenhuis, 31782 GZ Den Helder, The Netherlands. rmaes@gemini-ziekenhuis.nl
Lewin
Jonathan S
JS
Duerk
Jeffrey L
JL
Wacker
Frank K
FK
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta; D016477:Artifacts; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D005682:Gadolinium; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D012077:Renal Artery; D013552:Swine
C402765:gadomer 17; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D005682:Gadolinium