Cerebral infarction: Effects of dose and magnetization transfer saturation at gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging

PURPOSE: To determine contrast enhancement after cerebral infarction at T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with delayed, gadolinium- enhanced, and magnetization transfer (MT) techniques. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten patients aged 40-81 years with recent infarctions (<7 days) were prospectively studied at MR imaging. Gadoteridol (0.1 mmol/kg [standard dose] and an additional 0.2 mmol/kg [high dose]) was administered before imaging with and without MT saturation and after a 15-minute delay. Two neuroradiologists ranked enhancement conspicuity. RESULTS: Interobserver concordance was excellent (κ = .86). Pair-wise comparisons revealed high- dose MT images were ranked highest, followed by high-dose delayed non-MT images (P < .01). Standard-dose MT images and initial high-dose non-MT images were ranked intermediately but were not distinguishable from each other (P > .05). Initial and delayed standard-dose MT images were ranked lowest (P < .01) and were not distinguishable from each other. CONCLUSION: MT saturation and high-dose gadoteridol individually and synergistically improve the depiction of contrast enhancement.