title: Effects of iodinated contrast on various magnetic resonance imaging sequences and field strength: Implications for characterization of hemorrhagic transformation in acute stroke therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize the effects of iodinated contrast material (ICM) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) comparing different sequences and magnetic fields, with emphasis to similarities/differences with well-known signal characteristics of hemorrhage in the brain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Aliquots of iopamidol and iodixanol mixed with normal saline were scanned at 1.5T and 3T. Signal intensity (SI) was measured using similar spin-echo (SE)-T1, SE-T2, gradient-echo (GRE) and fluid-attenuation-inversion-recovery (FLAIR) sequences at both magnets. Contrast to noise ratio (CNR) (SI contrast-SI saline/SD noise) for each aliquot were calculated and Kruskall-wallis test and graphic analysis was used to compare different pulse sequences and ICMs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both ICM showed increased SI on SE-T1 and decreased SI on SE-T2, GRE and FLAIR at both 1.5T and 3T, as the concentration was increased. By CNR measurements, SE-T2 had the greatest conspicuity at 3T with undiluted iopamidol (92.6 ± 0.3, P < 0.00) followed by iodixanol (77.5 ± 0.9, P < 0.00) as compared with other sequences (CNR range: 15-40). While SE-T2 had greatest conspicuity at 1.5T with iopamidol (49.3 ± 1, P < 0.01), SE-T1 showed similar or slightly better conspicuity (20.8 ± 4) than SE-T2 with iodixanol (23 ± 1.7). In all cases, hypo-intensity on GRE was less conspicuous than on SE-T2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Iodixanol and iopamidol shorten T1 and T2 relaxation times at both 1.5T and 3T. Hypo-intensity due to shortened T2 relaxation time is significantly more conspicuous than signal changes on T1-WI, FLAIR or GRE. Variations in signal conspicuity according to pulse sequence and to type of ICM are exaggerated at 3T. We postulate T2 hypointensity with less GRE conspicuity differentiates ICM from hemorrhage; given the well-known GRE hypointensity of hemorrhage. Described signal changes may be relevant in the setting of recent intra-arterial or intravenous ICM administration in translational research and/or human stroke therapy.
authors.affiliation: Humberto Morales, Lisa Lemen, Ranasinghage Samaratunga, Peter Nguyen, Thomas Tomsick, Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0761, United States.
authors.forename: Humberto
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.affiliation: Humberto Morales, Lisa Lemen, Ranasinghage Samaratunga, Peter Nguyen, Thomas Tomsick, Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0761, United States.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lemen
authors.affiliation: Humberto Morales, Lisa Lemen, Ranasinghage Samaratunga, Peter Nguyen, Thomas Tomsick, Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0761, United States.
authors.forename: Ranasinghage
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Samaratunga
authors.affiliation: Humberto Morales, Lisa Lemen, Ranasinghage Samaratunga, Peter Nguyen, Thomas Tomsick, Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0761, United States.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Humberto Morales, Lisa Lemen, Ranasinghage Samaratunga, Peter Nguyen, Thomas Tomsick, Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0761, United States.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tomsick
keywords: Gradient-echo; Hemorrhage; Iodinated contrast; Magnetic resonance imaging; Stroke