title: [A comparative study of Gd-DTPA and HSA-Gd-DTPA in magnetic resonance lymphography].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effects of two contrast agents, Gd-DTPA and HSA-Gd-DTPA, in magnetic resonance (MR) lymphography.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve New-Zealand rabbits were randomized into Gd-DTPA and HSA-Gd-DTPA groups with subcutaneous (interdigital skin fold) injection of the two contrast agents (0.2 ml of 0.5 mmol/L Gd(3+)) for MR lymphography of the popliteal lymph nodes examined in the axial and sagital orientation. T(1)-weighted, T1-weighted fat suppressed, and T(2)-weighted spin-echo (SE) images of the lymph nodes were obtained in plain scans. The post-contrast scanning started at 30 min, 1 h and 3 h after Gd-DTPA administration and at 10 min, 30 min and 60 min after HSA-Gd-DTPA injection to obtain T(1)-weighted images with identical imaging parameters. The signal intensity of popliteal lymph node was measured and the enhancement rate calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After subcutaneous injection, Gd-DTPA quickly entered blood circulation to result in obvious enhancement of the anterior-tibial vein and the urine and also in heterogeneous enhancement of the popliteal lymph nodes. HSA-Gd-DTPA did not enter the blood, causing obvious homogeneous enhancement of the lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes. HSA-Gd-DTPA resulted in higher enhancement rate than Gd-DTPA, and the enhancement rate in Gd-DTPA group decreased with time as opposed to that of the HSA-Gd-DTPA group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HSA-Gd-DTPA has better performance than Gd-DTPA in MR lymphography after subcutaneous administration.
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Imaging Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Yuan-Kui
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Ting-Song
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Da-Chao
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Guo-Qing
authors.initials: GQ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yi-Kai
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008220:Lymphography / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D012709:Serum Albumin; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA