PULMONARY-EMBOLISM - DETECTION WITH MR PERFUSION IMAGING OF LUNG - A FEASIBILITY STUDY

PURPOSE: To evaluate the feasibility of magnetic resonance (MR) perfus ion imaging in the human lung to help detect perfusion defects distal to suspected pulmonary embolism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven patients suspected of having pulmonary embolism first underwent ventilation-pe rfusion lung scintigraphy followed by MR perfusion imaging with rapid acquisition of two sets of dynamic images in the coronal and transaxia l planes. A bolus of 0.05 mmol per kilogram of body weight gadopenteta te dimeglumine or gadodiamide was administered. Single images obtained in each section that showed peak signal intensity from the first pass age of contrast material were evaluated visually. An analysis of chang e in signal intensity over time was performed both on a pixel-by-pixel basis and in selected regions of interest. RESULTS: In the seven pati ents, a total of 18 regions of lung tissue with perfusion defects were shown on the ventilation-perfusion scans. In 16 of these regions, MR perfusion images showed a reduced peak signal intensity during first p assage of the contrast agent. Perfusion defects could be detected in b oth the coronal and the transaxial planes on MR perfusion images. CONC LUSION: MR perfusion imaging was feasible for detection of perfusion d efects distal to a pulmonary embolism.