O. Ernst et al., ORAL-ADMINISTRATION OF A LOW-COST NEGATIVE CONTRAST AGENT - A 3-YEAR EXPERIENCE IN ROUTINE PRACTICE, Journal of magnetic resonance imaging, 7(3), 1997, pp. 495-498
A low cost, web tolerated, and effective gastrointestinal contrast age
nt is needed for abdominal MRI, The authors tested, in vitro and in ro
utine practice, a mixture of 192 g of barium sulfate [Micropaque HD or
al, Guerbet, France] diluted in 500 ml of gastric antacid (Maalox, Roh
rer, Fort Washington, PA). Its T1 and T2 relaxation times were 324 and
14 msec, respectively (.2 T). This contrast agent was used in routine
practice in 789 patients (.5 T). It had a low signal intensity in 86%
and 82% of the cases on T1- and T2-weighted sequences, respectively.
Na side effect due to magnetic susceptibility was seen, even with grad
ient-echo sequences, The dilution of barium sulfate in gastric antacid
, instead of water, causes a low signal intensity on all sequences for
a low barium sulfate concentration (38% w/v), This product is an effe
ctive and low cost contrast agent in routine practice.