MR angiography with gadopentetate dimeglumine-polylysine: evaluation in rabbits

AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1990 Aug;155(2):407-11. doi: 10.2214/ajr.155.2.2115276.

Abstract

Flow in high-resistance peripheral vessels of the extremities is characterized by a short period of positive flow during systole and almost no flow during diastole. Hence, time-of-flight sequences for MR angiography in high-resistance peripheral vessels are successful only when applied in a plane perpendicular to the vessel course. When applied in a plane parallel to the vessel, the method suffers from the rapid saturation of the inflowing spins. Gadopentetate dimeglumine-polylysine is a new T1 relaxation agent with blood-pooling capability that can be used to prevent blood saturation. In the present study it produced excellent angiograms in rabbits at a dose of 0.01-0.08 mmol/kg injected IV. Time-of-flight angiograms were acquired in a 1.5-T superconducting magnet with a three-dimensional fast imaging with steady precession sequence, 20,40/10/20 degrees (TR/TE/flip angle), with an acquisition volume of 200 x 200 x 60 mm, 64 partitions, and velocity compensation in the slice-selection and frequency-encoding directions. Arteries and veins smaller than 1 mm were visualized over the entire length of the posterior limbs. If ongoing studies confirm the low toxicity of this new agent, gadopentetate dimeglumine-polylysine could offer a totally new approach to MR angiography.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blood Vessels / anatomy & histology*
  • Contrast Media*
  • Evaluation Studies as Topic
  • Gadolinium*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
  • Organometallic Compounds*
  • Polylysine*
  • Rabbits

Substances

  • Contrast Media
  • Organometallic Compounds
  • Polylysine
  • gadopentetate dimeglumine polylysine
  • Gadolinium