Blueberry juice used per os in upper abdominal MR imaging: composition andinitial clinical data

The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of a commercially available b lueberry juice (BJ) both as a positive and negative oral contrast agent and to present the exact contents of paramagnetic ions. The concentration of M n and Fe were determined in tinned myrtilles in syrup (atomic absorption). Nine healthy volunteers and 12 patients (age range 20-65 years) were examin ed using a 1-T MR scanner before and after per os administration of 430 ml of BJ. A qualitative analysis of signal alterations in the stomach, duodenu m, and proximal small :intestine was performed, In addition, a quantitative analysis was assessed in terms of signal-to-noise ratio calculation. The m ean concentration (x +/- SD) of the ions found in the content of the three cans were 3.3 +/- 0.3 mu g/g for iron and 20.6 +/- 2.6 mu g/g for manganese . Based on the qualitative evaluation, signal alteration on T1-weighted ima ges after administration of BJ was statistically significant in the stomach and duodenum, but not in the proximal small bowel. Signal alteration on T2 -weighted images was not statistically significant in any part of the gastr ointestinal tract. The quantitative analysis of the T1- and T2 shortening s howed that BJ is efficient with only T1-weighted sequences, and this applie d to the stomach, duodenum, and proximal small bowel. Blueberry juice can b e used as an oral contrast agent in upper abdominal MR for T1-weighted imag ing.