Abstract
OBJECTIVES: MR venography (MRV) protocols have used bloodpool contrast agents and long scan sequences to identify patients suitable for treatment and preoperatively. However, variable availability of bloodpool contrast agents, high costs and a need to shorten acquisition times for routine MR protocols hamper everyday practice.
MATERIALS: 20 patients (11 men; mean age 54 ± 11.8 years; body mass index 23.6 ± 2.5) were enrolled in this prospective study. An intra-individual comparison of image quality, interpretation and findings for two different contrast agents (regular gadolinium contrast agent gadobutrol vs. bloodpool contrast agent gadofosveset-trisodium) and two different scan protocols (long acquisition time protocol using a high-resolution fast field echo (FFE) sequence vs. short acquisition time protocol using an ultra-fast gradient echo (GE) sequence) were performed.
RESULTS: Image quality (average of 4.94 vs. 4.92 on a five-point scale), interpretation and contrast-to-noise ratio (44 vs. 45) were equal for both contrast agents. Image findings showed no statistical significant differences between the MR protocols or contrast agents (overall p = 0.328).
CONCLUSIONS: For high-resolution MRV, it is possible to replace gadofosveset-trisodium with gadobutrol. Furthermore, an ultra-fast GE sequence for MRV might considerably shorten acquisition time, without loss of image quality or diagnostic yield.
KEY POINTS: • High-quality MRV can be performed with a regular gadolinium-based contrast agent. • Ultra-fast GRE vs. HR-FFE MRV: equally suitable for evaluation of venous obstruction. • Regular gadolinium-based contrast agent can supersede a bloodpool contrast agent for MRV. • Equal confidence for gadobutrol vs gadofosveset-trisodium in MRV. • MRV accessible for routine daily practice.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 4986-4994 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | European Radiology |
Volume | 27 |
Issue number | 12 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Dec 2017 |
Keywords
- Journal Article
- Chronic venous disease
- MULTICENTER
- VEINS
- Chronic venous obstruction
- MRI
- INITIAL-EXPERIENCE
- THROMBOSIS
- Venous
- 3.0 T
- PERIPHERAL ARTERIES
- GADOBENATE DIMEGLUMINE
- RENAL-ARTERIES
- MR venography
- DOSE GADOPENTETATE DIMEGLUMINE
- MAGNETIC-RESONANCE ANGIOGRAPHY