Focal liver lesions: SPIO-, gadolinium-, and ferucarbotran-enhanced dynamic T1-weighted and delayed T2-weighted MR imaging in rabbits.
OBJECTIVE
To compare a superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO), VSOP-C184, with a gadopentetate dimeglumine with regard to signal-enhancing effects on T1-weighted dynamic magnetic resonance (MR) images and with another SPIO contrast medium with regard to signal-reducing effects on delayed T2-weighted MR images.


METHODS
All experiments were approved by the responsible Animal Care Committee. Twenty rabbits (five for each contrast agent and dose) implanted with VX-2 carcinoma were imaged at 1.5 T. VSOP-C184 at 0.015 and 0.025 mmol Fe/kg was compared with gadopentetate dimeglumine at 0.15 mmol Gd/kg and ferucarbotran at 0.015 mmol Fe/kg. The imaging protocol comprised a T1-weighted dynamic gradient-echo (GRE) MR before injection and at 6-second intervals for up to 42 seconds after injection and a T2-weighted turbo spin-echo MR before and 5 minutes after injection. Images were evaluated quantitatively, and contrast media were compared by using nonparametric analysis of variance.


RESULTS
At dynamic T1-weighted GRE MR imaging with 0.015-mmol Fe/kg VSOP-C184, 0.025-mmol Fe/kg VSOP-C184, gadopentetate dimeglumine, and ferucarbotran, the median peak contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) was 20.7 (25th percentile, 16.3; 75th percentile, 22.6), 24.2 (25th percentile, 19.3; 75th percentile, 28.5), 16.4 (25th percentile, 13.7; 75th percentile, 20.3), and 14.0 (25th percentile, 11.4; 75th percentile, 16.8), respectively. Both doses of VSOP-C184 yielded significantly higher CNR (P < .05) than the other two agents. At T2-weighted turbo spin-echo imaging with 0.015-mmol Fe/kg VSOP-C184, 0.025-mmol Fe/kg VSOP-C184, gadopentetate dimeglumine, and ferucarbotran, the median CNR was 15.0 (25th percentile, 13.4; 75th percentile, 21.3), 15.7 (25th percentile, 14.5; 75th percentile, 19.8), 11.3 (25th percentile, 8.2; 75th percentile, 12.2), and 15.7 (25th percentile, 12.5; 75th percentile, 22.4), respectively. There was no significant difference between VSOP-C184 and ferucarbotran; both had a significantly higher CNR than did gadopentetate dimeglumine.


CONCLUSIONS
VSOP-C184 produces higher liver-to-tumor contrast at dynamic T1-weighted imaging than does gadopentetate dimeglumine; at delayed T2-weighted imaging, the contrast is comparable to that achieved with ferucarbotran.
Schnorr
Jörg
J
Department of Radiology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Schumannstrasse 20/21, 10098 Berlin, Germany. joerg.schnorr@charite.de
Wagner
Susanne
S
Abramjuk
Claudia
C
Drees
Randi
R
Schink
Tania
T
Schellenberger
Eyk A
EA
Pilgrimm
Herbert
H
Hamm
Bernd
B
Taupitz
Matthias
M