Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography: first-pass arterial enhancement as a function of gadolinium-chelate concentration, and the saline chaser volume and injection rate.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of the contrast medium (CM) concentration and the saline chaser volume and injection rate on first-pass aortic enhancement characteristics in contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography using a physiologic flow phantom. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Imaging was performed on a 3.0-T magnetic resonance system (MAGNETOM Trio, Siemens Healthcare Solutions, Inc, Erlangen, Germany) using a 2-dimensional fast low angle shot T1-weighted sequence (repetition time, 500 milliseconds; echo time, 1.23 milliseconds; flip angle, 8 degrees; 1 frame/s × 60 seconds). The following CM concentrations injected at 2 mL/s were used with 3 different contrast agents (gadolinium [Gd]-BOPTA, Gd-HP-DO3A, Gd-DTPA): 20 mL of undiluted CM (100%) and 80%, 40%, 20%, 10%, 5%, and 2.5% of the full amount, all diluted in saline to a volume of 20 mL to ensure equal bolus volume. The CM was followed by saline chasers of 20 to 60 mL injected at 2 mL/s and 6 mL/s. Aortic signal intensity (SI) was measured, and normalized SI versus time (SI/Tn) curves were generated. The maximal SI (SI(max)), bolus length, and areas under the SI/Tn curve were calculated. RESULTS: Decreasing the CM concentration from 100% to 40% resulted in a decrease of SI(max) to 86.1% (mean). Further decreasing the CM concentration to 2.5% decreased SI(max) to 5.1% (mean). Altering the saline chaser volume had no significant effect on SI(max). Increasing the saline chaser injection rate had little effect (mean increase, 2.2%) on SI(max) when using ≥40% of CM. There was a larger effect (mean increase, 19.6%) when ≤20% of CM were used. Bolus time length was significantly shorter (P < 0.001), and area under the SI/T(n) curve was significantly smaller (P < 0.01) for the CM protocols followed by a saline chaser injected at 6 mL/s compared with a saline chaser injected at 2 mL/s. CONCLUSION: With 40% of CM and a fast saline chaser, SImax close to that with undiluted CM can be achieved. An increased saline chaser injection rate has a more pronounced effect on aortic enhancement characteristics at lower CM concentrations than at higher CM concentrations.

Contrast material administration protocols for 64-MDCT angiography: altering volume and rate and use of a saline chaser to better match the imaging window--physiologic phantom study.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effect of varying volumes and rates of contrast material, use of a saline chaser, and cardiac output on aortic enhancement characteristics in MDCT angiography (MDCTA) using a physiologic phantom. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Volumes of 75, 100, and 125 mL of iopamidol, 370 mg I/mL, were administered at rates of 4, 6, and 8 mL/s. The effect of a saline chaser (50 mL of normal saline, 8 mL/s) was evaluated for each volume and rate combination. Normal, reduced (33% and 50%), and increased (25%) cardiac outputs were simulated. Peak aortic enhancement and duration of peak aortic enhancement were recorded. Analysis of variance models were run with these effects, and the estimated mean levels for the sets of factor combinations were determined. RESULTS: Lowering the volume of contrast material resulted in reduced peak enhancement (example, -56.2 HU [p < 0.0001] with 75 vs 125 mL) and reduced duration of 75% peak enhancement (example, -9.0 seconds [p < 0.0001] with 75 vs 125 mL). Increasing the rate resulted in increased peak enhancement (example, 104.5 HU [p < 0.0001] with a rate of 8 vs 4 mL/s) and decreased duration of 75% peak enhancement (example, -13.0 seconds [p < 0.001]). Use of a saline chaser resulted in increased peak enhancement, and this increase was inversely proportional to contrast material volume. Peak enhancement increased when reduced cardiac output was simulated. Peak enhancement decreased when increased cardiac output was simulated. CONCLUSION: Reducing contrast material volume from 125 to 75 mL, increasing the rate to 6 or 8 mL/s, and use of a saline chaser result in an aortic enhancement profile that better matches the approximately 5-second imaging window possible with 64-MDCTA of the abdomen and pelvis. Even smaller volumes of contrast material may be adequate in patients with reduced cardiac output.

Modifying peripheral IV catheters with side holes and side slits results in favorable changes in fluid dynamic properties during the injection of iodinated contrast material.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare a standard peripheral end-hole angiocatheter with those modified with side holes or side slits using experimental optical techniques to qualitatively compare the contrast material exit jets and using numeric techniques to provide flow visualization and quantitative comparisons. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A Schlieren imaging system was used to visualize the angiocatheter exit jet fluid dynamics at two different flow rates. Catheters were modified by drilling through-and-through side holes or by cutting slits into the catheters. A commercial computational fluid dynamics package was used to calculate numeric results for various vessel diameters and catheter orientations. RESULTS: Experimental images showed that modifying standard peripheral IV angiocatheters with side holes or side slits qualitatively changed the overall flow field and caused the exiting jet to become less well defined. Numeric calculations showed that the addition of side holes or slits resulted in a 9-30% reduction of the velocity of contrast material exiting the end hole of the angiocatheter. With the catheter tip directed obliquely to the wall, the maximum wall shear stress was always highest for the unmodified catheter and was always lowest for the four-side-slit catheter. CONCLUSION: Modified angiocatheters may have the potential to reduce extravasation events in patients by reducing vessel wall shear stress.