Gain in signal-to-noise for first-pass contrast-enhanced abdominal MR angiography at 3 Tesla over standard 1.5 Tesla: prediction with a computer model.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the gain in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in first-pass contrast-enhanced (CE) abdominal magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) at 3.0 T compared with 1.5 T.


METHODS
Three protocols were simulated using six contrast agents: gadopentetate dimeglumine (Magnevist, Berlex, Wayne, NJ), gadoteridol (Prohance, Bracco, Princeton, NJ), gadobenate dimeglumine (Multihance, Bracco, Princeton, NJ), gadodiamide (Omniscan, Amersham Health, Princeton, NJ), gadoversetamide (Optimark, Mallinckrodt, St. Louis, MO), and gadofosveset trisodium (MS-325, EPIX Medical, Cambridge, MA). Contrast concentrations were calculated for five abdominal vessels. Based on these data, the gain in SNR during CE abdominal MRA at 3.0 T over 1.5 T was estimated.


RESULTS
In these simulations, peak concentrations in all five target vessels were about 5 mM, 10 mM, and 0.7 mM for protocol 1, protocol 2, and protocol 3, respectively. A gain in SNR at 3 T over 1.5 T during CE abdominal MRA of at least 94% in all five target vessels could be achieved by applying protocol 1 or protocol 2, whereas protocol 3 provided a gain in SNR of 70%.


CONCLUSIONS
Although five of the contrast agents studied fulfill the expectation of providing approximately twice the SNR at 3.0 T versus 1.5 T during CE abdominal MRA, MS-325 offers a gain in SNR of 70% only.
Merkle
Elmar Max
EM
Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Box 3808, Duke North, Erwin Road, Durham, NC 27710, USA. elmar.merkle@duke.edu
Dale
Brian Marshall
BM
Barboriak
Daniel Paul
DP
D000005:Abdomen / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000098:blood supply*; D000328:Adult; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008280:Magnetics; D008297:Male; D008536:Meglumine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted
D003287:Contrast Media; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C062402:gadoteridol; C064572:gadobenic acid; D008536:Meglumine; C064925:gadodiamide; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; C112666:gadoversetamide; C109932:gadofosveset trisodium