Shoulder MR arthrography: In vitro determination of optimal gadolinium dilution as a function of field strength
✍ Scribed by Alessandro Stecco; Marco Brambilla; Anna M.A. Puppi; Marta Lovisolo; Renzo Boldorini; Alessandro Carriero
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2007
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 519 KB
- Volume
- 25
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 1053-1807
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
Abstract
Purpose
To find the optimal contrast agent dilution to maximize signal intensity (SI), signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR), and contrast‐to‐noise ratio (CNR) in shoulder MR arthrography using MR systems operating at different magnetic field strengths.
Materials and Methods
Autoptic human glenohumeral ligaments were inserted in eight egg‐shaped 20‐mL phantoms filled with saline and gadolinium diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid bismethylamide (Gd‐DTPA‐BMA) in different dilutions of 0.5, 1, 2, 2.5, 5, 12.5, 50 mmol/liter, to simulate the shoulder articular capsule. These phantoms were inserted inside two plastic 240‐mL phantoms filled with water. MRI was performed on 0.2‐, 0.5‐, 1.0‐, 1.5‐, and 3.0‐T MR systems using a three‐dimensional gradient echo (GRE)‐T1‐weighted pulse sequence. SI, SNR, and CNR were determined.
Results
Peak SI and SNR were found at 5 mmol/liter, with the exception of the 0.2‐T scanner, where the maximum was at 2 mmol/liter. Peak CNR was observed at 1 mmol/liter for the 3‐T scanner, at 2 mmol/liter for the 0.2‐ and 0.5‐T scanners, and at 5 mmol/liter for the remaining scanners.
Conclusion
The optimal SI and SNR are provided by 5 mmol/liter contrast agent dilution. Peak CNR was found in a range between 1 and 5 mmol/liter dilutions, depending on the strength of the magnetic field. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.