Investigative radiology
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Investigative radiology · Jul 2014
Evaluation of iron content in human cerebral cavernous malformation using quantitative susceptibility mapping.
The aims of this study were to investigate and validate quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) for lesional iron quantification in cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs). ⋯ The ability of QSM to evaluate iron deposition in CCM lesions was illustrated via phantom, in vivo, and ex vivo validation studies. Quantitative susceptibility mapping may be a potential biomarker for monitoring CCM disease activity and response to treatments.
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Investigative radiology · Jul 2014
Ultralow-dose chest computed tomography for pulmonary nodule detection: first performance evaluation of single energy scanning with spectral shaping.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the image quality and sensitivity of ultralow radiation dose single-energy computed tomography (CT) with tin filtration for spectral shaping and iterative reconstructions for the detection of pulmonary nodules in a phantom setting. ⋯ Our study suggests that chest CT for the detection of pulmonary nodules can be performed with third-generation dual-source CT producing high image quality, sensitivity, and diagnostic confidence at a very low effective radiation dose of 0.06 mSv when using a single-energy protocol at 100 kVp with spectral shaping and when using advanced iterative reconstruction techniques.
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Investigative radiology · Jul 2014
Comparative StudyIntraindividual quantitative and qualitative comparison of gadopentetate dimeglumine and gadobutrol in time-resolved contrast-enhanced 4-dimensional magnetic resonance angiography in minipigs.
The concentration and relaxivities of contrast agents affect quantitative and qualitative image quality in contrast-enhanced time-resolved 4-dimensional magnetic resonance angiography (4D-MRA). Gadobutrol has a high relaxivity and is the only gadolinium (Gd)-based contrast agent approved for clinical use at a 1 M concentration. This promises to confer superior bolus characteristics by generating a steeper and shorter bolus with a higher peak Gd concentration. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively examine bolus characteristics of 1 M gadobutrol compared with 0.5 M gadopentetate dimeglumine and to evaluate image quality in thoracoabdominal 4D-MRA. ⋯ A more compact bolus shape was observed after administration of gadobutrol compared with gadopentetate dimeglumine in minipigs. This was demonstrated both in 4D-MRA, where Gd concentration, relaxivity, and the image-acquisition technique play a role, and in CT, where the signal intensity depends only on the Gd concentration. The overall image quality was rated higher in examinations with 1.0 M gadobutrol than with 0.5 M gadopentetate dimeglumine.