Contrast-enhanced whole-heart coronary MRA using Gadofosveset 3.0 T versus 1.5 T.
OBJECTIVE
To compare contrast-enhanced coronary magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) at 3.0 T with the same technique performed at 1.5 T using the contrast agent gadofosveset.


METHODS
In this prospective randomized study, 19 healthy male volunteers (mean age 28 years, mean weight 79.8 kg), after signing informed consents, underwent contrast-enhanced inversion recovery three-dimensional fast low angle shot (FLASH) MRA at 1.5 and at 3.0 T. Prospective electrocardiogram-triggering was combined with adaptive respiratory gating. For contrast-enhanced images, the intravascular contrast agent gadofosveset was used. Acquisition time, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of coronary blood, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) between coronaries and adjacent myocardium or epicardial fat and image quality were analyzed for statistical differences by using a two-tailed paired-sample t-test. The ratio calculations were based on measurements performed on the raw data and the image quality was blinded and independently evaluated by two experienced radiologists using a five-point scale.


RESULTS
The mean values for the acquisition time were 14.58 +/- 0.1 minutes at 1.5 T and 16.40 +/- 0.2 minutes at 3.0 T. Overall SNR of all evaluated coronary segments proved higher at 3.0 T compared to 1.5 T (74.0 +/- 42.1 at 3.0 T vs. 50.2 +/- 20.2 at 1.5 T, P = .04). Overall CNR between coronaries and myocardium was significantly increased at 3.0 T in comparison to 1.5 T (40.1 +/- 21.9 at 3.0 T vs. 24.4 +/- 17.2 at 1.5 T, P = .01). Between the two methods, no significant difference in overall CNR between coronaries and epicardial fat was observed (P = .08, NS). The 3.0 T MRA demonstrated superior overall image quality with respect to 1.5 T (2.28 +/- 0.71 at 3.0 T vs. 1.92 +/- 0.38 at 1.5T, P = .004).


CONCLUSIONS
The use of higher field strength, 3.0 T instead of 1.5 T, resulted in similar CNR between coronaries and epicardial fat, higher SNR values and CNR between blood and myocardium, as well as an improved overall image quality, when gadofosveset in combination with electrocardiogram and respiratory triggering for coronary MRA was used.
Prompona
Maria
M
Klinikum Grosshadern, Ludwig Maximilians Universität München Marchioninistr., Germany. mariadoctor@hotmail.com <mariadoctor@hotmail.com>
Cyran
Clemens
C
Nikolaou
Konstantin
K
Bauner
Kerstin
K
Reiser
Maximilian
M
Huber
Armin
A
D000328:Adult; D003287:Contrast Media; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D005682:Gadolinium; C109932:gadofosveset trisodium