[Intravenous administration of gadolinium DPTA in proton spin tomography of the knee joint]

In a prospective study we evaluated the benefits of iv-application of gadolinium-DPTA examining 25 patients with degenerative disease of the knee joint by MRI (1.0 Tesla). All patients were scanned with standard spin echo sequences (SE 500/20), short time inversion recovery sequences (STIR 1600/100), and FEDIF sequences (FEDIF 500/10). After gadolinium-DPTA application (0.1-0.35 mmol/kg BW) the patients were scanned with spin echo sequences (SE SE 500/20), and FEDIF sequences (FEDIF 500/10). After iv-Gadolinium the synovial membrane of joints with inflammation show significant increase of the signal. Due to this effect a differentiation between joint effusion and hypertrophic synovia is possible. Small areas of local synovitis not visible before the use of gadolinium can be documented. A differentiation between degenerative subchondral cysts and cysts due to an inflammatory process is possible.

The use of iv-application of gadolinium-DPTA in patients with degenerative joint disease seems to offer additional information. With iv-application all shortcomings of intraarticular use can be avoided. The differentiation between degenerative and inflammatory processes is possible.