title: Interactive neonatal gastrointestinal magnetic resonance imaging using fruit juice as an oral contrast media.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective was to evaluate the use of fruit juice with an interactive inversion recovery (IR) MR pulse sequence to visualise the gastrointestinal tract.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the relaxation properties of 12 different natural fruit juices in vitro, to identify which could be used as oral contrast. We then describe our initial experience using an interactive MR pulse sequence to allow optimal visualisation after administering pineapple juice orally, and suppressing pre-existing bowel fluid contents, with variable TI in three adult and one child volunteer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pineapple juice (PJ) had both the shortest T1 (243 ms) and shortest T2 (48 ms) of the fruit juices tested. Optimal signal differentiation between pre-existing bowel contents and oral PJ administration was obtained with TIs of between 900 and 1100 ms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of an inversion recovery preparation allowed long T1 pre-existing bowel contents to be suppressed whilst the short T1 of fruit juice acts as a positive contrast medium. Pineapple juice could be used as oral contrast agent for neonatal gastrointestinal magnetic resonance imaging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK. owen.arthurs@gosh.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: Owen J
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Arthurs
authors.forename: Martin J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Graves
authors.forename: Andrea D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Ilse
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Joubert
authors.forename: Pat A K
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Set
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lomas
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D031230:Ananas / Q000737:chemistry; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry*; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D011859:Radiography
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D010936:Plant Extracts