Objective: The aim of this study was to optimize contrast media dose for assessment of pulmonary circulation with dynamic time-resolved contrast-enhanced 3D MR angiography. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. Twenty healthy volunteers (20-38 years old; mean [+/- SD], 27.2 +/- 4.5 years) were examined prospectively using turbo fast low-angle shot MR angiography (TR/TE, 2.4/1.04). Ten consecutive coronal 3D slabs with a frame rate of 3.2-sec duration were acquired during injection of contrast media at a rate of 4 mL/sec. Signal intensities were measured in various vessels and pulmonary parenchyma. Maximum signal-intensity enhancement (DeltaSI(max)) and time to peak enhancement were calculated. Depiction of pulmonary vessels and pulmonary parenchyma was scored according to an image quality score.
Results: Central pulmonary arteries were well visualized at all tested doses. Segmental arteries, however, were blurry with 0.025 or 0.05 mmol/kg; image quality was improved at 0.1 mmol/kg of gadoterate meglumine (p < 0.05). Image quality did not further improve at 0.2 mmol/kg (p = not significant). Values for DeltaSI(max) in the pulmonary trunk were 38.9 +/- 9.7, 64.1 +/- 9.1, 79.7 +/- 12.2, and 96 +/- 6.0 at 0.025, 0.5, 0.1, and 0.2 mmol/kg of gadoterate meglumine, respectively. Pulmonary parenchyma showed almost no enhancement at 0.025 and 0.5 mmol/kg of gadoterate meglumine (DeltaSI(max) = 1.6 +/- 1.1 and 1.6 +/- 1.2, respectively), but better visualization was shown with 0.1 and 0.2 mmol/kg of gadoterate meglumine (DeltaSI(max) = 2.9 +/- 0.8 and 6.7 +/- 2.1, respectively). Time from peak enhancement in pulmonary arteries to peak enhancement in veins was independent of dose.
Conclusion: A dose of 0.1 mmol/kg of gadolinium chelate allows depiction of pulmonary arteries and qualitative assessment of pulmonary parenchyma. Thus, 0.1 mmol/kg can be recommended for dynamic contrast-enhanced 3D MR angiography.