Quick injection combining with slow infusion of contrast media on coronary MR angiography / 中华放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the effect of quick injection combining with slow infusion of Gd-DTPA on T1 relaxation of the blood. Methods Fifteen volunteers were recruited for coronary MRA study using a navigator-gated 3D-FIESTA sequence. Coronary MRA were acquired on the same segments two times at 5 minutes and 15 minutes after Gd-DTPA administration. Contrast agent was injected biphasically with 10 ml at a flow rate of 1.5 ml/s and 20 ml at 0. 05 ml/s to prolong the T1 relaxation effect. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were calculated pre- and post-contrast MRA. Image quality was compared using t-test. Results The SNR and CNR at 5 minutes after contrast injection (35.37 ±6. 84 and 21.57 ± 6. 08 ) were significantly higher than that of pre-contrast MRA ( 27.38 ± 6. 24 and 13.19 ±6. 50). The SNR at 15 minutes after contrast injection (33. 81 ±9. 43) was higher than that of precontrast MRA, but there was no statistically difference(t = 1. 885 ,P =0. 074). The CNR at 15 minutes after contrast injection (21.20 ± 7.65) was significantly higher than that of pre-contrast MRA. The SNR and CNR at 15 minutes after contrast injection were no significant different compared with those at 5 minutes after contrast injection. Conclusion T1-shorting effect in the blood can be prolonged by quick injection combining with slow infusion of Gd-DTPA ,which meet with the need of multiple scans of coronary MRA.