Transient severe motion in the arterial phase during gadoxetate disodium-enhanced MR imaging: evaluation of patients with multiple MR examinations.

PURPOSE: To determine whether patients undergoing multiple gadoxetate disodium-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) examinations who experienced transient severe motion (TSM) in the arterial phase were affected by the TSM noted in the first examination. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 214 patients who underwent three or more repeated gadoxetate disodium-enhanced MR imaging were retrospectively analyzed. Three radiologists scored all of the examinations demonstrating a motion artifact using a five-point rating scale. Risk factor analysis and comparison of TSM recurrence rates were performed in the whole study population as well as in a subpopulation of patients with TSM. RESULTS: The overall incidence of TSM was 5.9% (54/922), which was observed in 40 patients. Thirty-two patients had one episode of TSM, and eight patients had recurrent TSM. Although TSM in the first examination increased the risk of recurrent TSM in the whole population (OR 24.45; P < 0.001), the incidence of recurrent TSM was low (2.4%, 22/922). On subpopulation analysis, TSM in the first examination did not influence recurrent TSM (OR 0.36; P = 0.250). CONCLUSION: Patients undergoing multiple gadoxetate disodium-enhanced MR examinations who experienced recurrent TSM were not affected by TSM in the first examination. Therefore, a single episode of TSM should not be considered a risk factor of recurrent TSM.