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Temporal behavior of intraarticular gadolinium
S C Wagner1, M E Schweitzer, D Weishaupt
1Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography
|October 5, 2001
Summary
Imaging delays in MR arthrography impact diagnostic quality. This study evaluated intraarticular Gd-DTPA temporal behavior, finding optimal imaging times vary by joint: shoulder (1 hour), hip (2 hours), and knee (3.5 hours).
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Medical Imaging
- Orthopedics
Background:
- Imaging delays in MR arthrography can compromise study quality and diagnostic accuracy.
- Understanding the temporal dynamics of intraarticular contrast agents is crucial for optimizing imaging protocols.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the temporal behavior of intraarticular gadolinium diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA) in MR arthrography.
- To determine optimal imaging windows for different joints to minimize diagnostic pitfalls.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of four shoulders, knees, and hips, with injections of Gd-DTPA and either iodinated contrast or saline.
- Measurement of contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and joint distention on serial T1-weighted sequences.
- Retrospective analysis of 31 MR arthrography patients to measure CNR and imaging delays.
Main Results:
- In shoulders, peak CNR and distention occurred at 15 minutes, with a 53% CNR decrease by 1 hour.
- In knees, peak distention was at 1 hour, but CNR peaked at 2.75 hours, declining significantly by 6.25 hours.
- In hips, peak CNR and distention occurred at 30 minutes, with CNR declining 53% by 2 hours.
Conclusions:
- MR arthrography protocols can accommodate imaging delays of up to 1 hour for shoulders.
- Imaging delays of up to 2 hours are feasible for hip MR arthrography.
- Optimal imaging windows for knee MR arthrography extend up to 3.5 hours.