EVALUATION OF EXPERIMENTALLY-INDUCED RENAL HYPOPERFUSION USING IRON-OXIDE PARTICLES AND FAST MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING

Rationale and Objectives. Renal perfusion can be evaluated with first- pass study of superparamagnetic iron oxide particles (SPIO). We applie d this technique to a unilateral renal hypoperfusion model in rabbits. Methods. Turbo fast low-angle shot sequences (acquisition time = 440 msec), after bolus injection of SPIO (100-140 mu mol/kg iron), were pe rformed in two control groups (n = 5 in each) and one group (n = 5) wi th a left renal blood flow reduction caused by a surgical interrenal a ortic ligature (140 mu mol/kg iron). Qualitative and quantitative anal ysis using relative blood volume (rRBV), relative blood flow (rRBF), a nd mean transit time (MTT) were performed. Results. Signal changes wer e symmetric in control groups without significant differences between the kidneys. The experimental group showed a significantly delayed and less pronounced maximal reduction of signal related to a significantl y decreased rRBF and increased rRBV and MTT in the left kidney (p < .0 5). Conclusion. This study shows the effectiveness of a dynamic magnet ic resonance study using SPIO to detect unilateral kidney perfusion re duction.