MRT OF EXPERIMENTAL LIVER-ABSCESSES - COM PARISON OF A NEW BLOOD-POOLCONTRAST AGENT WITH GADOLINIUM-DTPA

Purpose: In an experimental pyogenic liver abscess model, the signal i ntensities were compared intraindividually and interindividually after the application of a new blood pool contrast agent, 24-gadolinium-DTP A (diethylenetriamine-pentaacetic acid) cascade polymer, and after the application of gadopentetate dimeglumine. Methods: In 20 rabbits with experimentally induced liver abscesses, the relative signal intensiti es of the liver, abscess centre, abscess wall and portal vein were ass essed before and between 30 seconds and 60 minutes after injection of a 25 mu mol/kg dose of gadolinium polymer and of 100 mu mol/kg of gado linium-DTPA, respectively. Measurements were performed at 1.5 Tesla, u sing a head coil and a Flash-2-D sequence.