Simultaneous MRI measurement of blood flow, blood volume, and capillary permeability in mammary tumors using two different contrast agents

A technique for the simultaneous measurement. of three vascular parameters: blood flow (F-rho), blood volume (v(b)), and the capillary permeability-su rface area product (PSrho) in breast tumors using dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is presented. Features of the technique i nclude measurement of precontrast tumor T-1, rapid temporal sampling, measu rement of the arterial Input function, and use of a distributed parameter t racer kinetic model. Parameter measurements are compared that were determin ed using two contrast agents of different molecular weights, gadolinium-die thylene triamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA; 0.6 kDa) and Gadomer-17 (17 kDa ), in 18 spontaneous canine mammary, tumors. Measurements of F-rho and v(b) corresponded well with literature values, and the mean PSrho measured usin g Gd-DTPA was a factor of 15 higher than that measured using Gadomer-17. (C ) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.