Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the optimization of injection rates with an automatic power injector versus manual injection for contrast-enhanced breath-hold three-dimensional (3D) MR angiography of the abdominal aorta and its branches.
Subjects and methods: In a prospective study, 50 patients underwent breath-hold 3D MR angiography (5/2 [TR/TE]; flip angle, 30 degrees) of the abdominal vessels on a 1.5-T system. Each patient received 0.15 mmol/kg of gadopentetate dimeglumine. All patients were randomly assigned to one of five equally sized groups. The contrast bolus was injected manually in group 1, always by the same investigator, who tried to perform a steady injection rate of 2 ml/sec. An automatic injector was used in groups 2-5 with injection flow rates of 0.5 ml/sec, 2 ml/sec, 4 ml/sec, and 6 ml/sec. The start of the MR sequence was tailored individually to the applied volume of contrast material after determination of circulation times by a test bolus. We measured the signal-to-noise and contrast-to-noise ratios as well as the relative vascular enhancement. The visualization of different abdominal vessel segments was independently ranked on a scale of 1-5 (1 = not visible; 5 = excellent visualization) by three reviewers who were unaware of the applied contrast material injection rate.
Results: The signal-to-noise and contrast-to-noise ratios of groups 3 and 4 (2 ml/sec and 4 ml/sec, respectively) were significantly (p < .05) higher than the ratios of groups 1, 2, and 5. The average relative vascular enhancement of groups 3 and 4 was significantly higher (p < .05) than the enhancement of all other groups. The contrast bolus applied with a faster injection rate (group 5) did not cover large parts of the K-space, resulting in increased blurring of the vessel contours. The subjective evaluation of large and small diameter vessels showed significantly better results in groups 3 and 4 than in groups 1, 2, and 5.
Conclusion: The use of an automatic MR power injector proved superior to manual injection of contrast material. The optimal injection rate was 2 ml/sec for 3D breath-hold MR angiography of the abdominal vessels.