Volume 30, Issue 1 pp. 104-111
Original Research

Quantitative contrast-enhanced perfusion measurements of the human lung using the prebolus approach

Markus Oechsner MS

Corresponding Author

Markus Oechsner MS

Institut für Röntgendiagnostik, Universität Würzburg, Germany

Institut für Experimentelle Physik 5, Universität Würzburg, Germany

Institut für Experimentelle Physik 5, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, D-97074 Würzburg, GermanySearch for more papers by this author
Matti Mühlhäusler MS

Matti Mühlhäusler MS

Institut für Röntgendiagnostik, Universität Würzburg, Germany

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Christian O. Ritter MD

Christian O. Ritter MD

Institut für Röntgendiagnostik, Universität Würzburg, Germany

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Markus Weininger MD

Markus Weininger MD

Institut für Röntgendiagnostik, Universität Würzburg, Germany

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Matthias Beissert MD

Matthias Beissert MD

Institut für Röntgendiagnostik, Universität Würzburg, Germany

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Peter M. Jakob PhD

Peter M. Jakob PhD

Institut für Experimentelle Physik 5, Universität Würzburg, Germany

Research Center for Magnetic Resonance Bavaria (MRB), Würzburg, Germany

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Meinrad Beer MD

Meinrad Beer MD

Institut für Röntgendiagnostik, Universität Würzburg, Germany

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Dietbert Hahn MD

Dietbert Hahn MD

Institut für Röntgendiagnostik, Universität Würzburg, Germany

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Herbert Köstler PhD

Herbert Köstler PhD

Institut für Röntgendiagnostik, Universität Würzburg, Germany

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First published: 25 June 2009
Citations: 18

Abstract

Purpose

To investigate dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) for quantification of pulmonary blood flow (PBF) and blood volume (PBV) using the prebolus approach and to compare the results to the global lung perfusion (GLP).

Materials and Methods

Eleven volunteers were examined by applying different contrast agent doses (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 mL gadolinium diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid [Gd-DTPA]), using a saturation-recovery (SR) true fast imaging with steady precession (TrueFISP) sequence. PBF and PBV were determined for single bolus and prebolus. Region of interest (ROI) evaluation was performed and parameter maps were calculated. Additionally, cardiac output (CO) and lung volume were determined and GLP was calculated as a contrast agent–independent reference value.

Results

The prebolus results showed good agreement with low-dose single-bolus and GLP: PBF (mean ± SD in units of mL/minute/100 mL) = single bolus 190 ± 73 (0.5-mL dose) and 193 ± 63 (1.0-mL dose); prebolus 192 ± 70 (1.0–2.0-mL dose) and 165 ± 52 (1.0–3.0-mL dose); GLP (mL/minute/100 mL) = 187 ± 34. Higher single-bolus resulted in overestimated values due to arterial input function (AIF) saturation.

Conclusion

The prebolus approach enables independent determination of appropriate doses for AIF and tissue signal. Using this technique, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) from lung parenchyma can be increased, resulting in improved PBF and PBV quantification, which is especially useful for the generation of parameter maps. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2009;30:104–111. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

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