Imaging liver metastases with a new oral manganese-based contrast agent.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the study was a preliminary evaluation of a new oral, manganese-based, liver-specific contrast medium (CMC-001; CMC Contrast AB, Malmoe, Sweden) for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with liver metastases.


METHODS
The study included 10 consecutive patients with known liver metastases. Patients underwent abdominal MRI as a supplement to routine diagnostics. Patients fasted for at least 10 hours before ingesting CMC-001 (1.6 g manganese chloride tetrahydrate, 1 g alanine, and 1,600 IU vitamin D3 were dissolved in water). MRI took place before and 2 hours after drinking CMC-001. The 1.5-T MRI protocol included two-dimensional T1w sequences to visualize metastases. T2w and diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) sequences were used to identify cysts and blood vessels correspondingly.


RESULTS
The intake of CMC-001 caused an increase in the signal intensity of the "healthy" liver tissue, making the internal structure of the liver significantly better visualized. Compared with our routine examinations, MRI showed more metastases in four patients and allowed determining a more precise outline of metastases.


CONCLUSIONS
CMC-001 improves imaging of liver metastases in comparison with computed tomography and with MRI without CMC-001.
Chabanova
Elizaveta
E
Department of Diagnostic Radiology 54E2, Copenhagen University Hospital at Herlev, Herlev Ringvej 75, DK-2730 Herlev, Denmark. elcha@herlevhosp.kbhamt.dk
Logager
Vibeke
V
Moller
Jakob M
JM
Dekker
Hellen
H
Barentsz
Jelle
J
Thomsen
Henrik S
HS
D000284:Administration, Oral; D002712:Chlorides; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008345:Manganese / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017895:Manganese Compounds; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology
C504368:CMC-001; D002712:Chlorides; D003287:Contrast Media; D017895:Manganese Compounds; D008345:Manganese; C025340:manganese chloride