Keywords:
Experimental, MR-Diffusion/Perfusion, Colon, Gastrointestinal tract, Contrast agents, Contrast agent-intravenous, Cancer
Authors:
R. A. P. Dijkhoff1, S. drago2, J. Santinha3, D. M. J. Lambregts4, J. J. M. van Griethuysen4, F. C. Bakers1, N. Papanikolaou3, R. G. H. Beets-Tan4, M. Maas4; 1Maastricht/NL, 2MONZA/IT, 3Lisbon/PT, 4Amsterdam/NL
DOI:
10.1594/ecr2018/C-1612
Aims and objectives
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Gadolinium based contrast agents (GBCAs) have been a crucial part of MR imaging for the last two decades for many diseases.
GBCAs cause a reduction of T1 relaxation resulting an increased signal intensity (SI) improving the visualisation of pathological tissue.[1,
2] One well studied technique which uses GBCAs is dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) which makes a series of dynamic images before,
during and after intravenous injection of the contrast agent.
DCE-MRI has shown promise in the staging and restaging of various forms of cancer.[3–6] One of the most commonly used GBCAs in DCE-MRI studies is micromolecular agent gadobutrol (GDB).[7,
8] In recent studies the macrocolecular blood pool agent gadofosveset trisodium (GDF) has been investigated as a non-invasive tool for diagnostics and treatment response.[8–11] GDF is a small agent but after binding to albumin it becomes a macromolecular agent.[12] Immediately after injection a large percentage of GDF is unbound due to the higher concentration of GDF compared to albumin.
After longer exposure approximately 75-90% binds to albumin which increases the signal intensity by increased relaxivity.[13,
14] It has been therefore suggested that GDF behaves as a micromolecular agent similar to GDB shortly after injection.
The aim of this exploratory study is to compare the signal intensity time curves of GDF with that of GDB in rectal cancer.