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Biomedical subjects

A Hemmingsson

Publications and source records attributed to A Hemmingsson.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Dy-DTPA-BMA as an indicator of tissue viability in MR imaging. An experimental study in the pig.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether dysprosium (Dy) induced signal intensity (SI) loss in infarcted tissue in MR imaging. Myocardial infarction was induced in 12 pigs and Dy-DTPA-BMA (1.0 mmol/kg b.w.) was administered i.v. to 6 pigs 4 hours after occlusion and allowed to accumulate in the infarctions for 2 hours. Dy was analysed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry in infarcted and non-ischaemic tissue samples. The remaining 6 pigs, not administered contrast medium, served as controls. The infarctions demonstrated a high SI in the proton density- and T2-weighted sequences in both groups (ex vivo), although the Dy-DTPA-BMA group demonstrated a 3-fold greater concentration of Dy in infarcted compared with non-ischaemic myocardium. The lack of SI loss after Dy accumulation indicates that susceptibility effects are minor or absent in infarcted myocardium.

Analysis of Variance↗

MR imaging of double-contrast enhanced porcine myocardial infarction. Correlation with microdialysis.

MR imaging was performed to investigate whether Gd-DTPA-BMA-induced contrast enhancement of myocardial infarction is counteracted by Dy-DTPA-BMA. Myocardial infarction was induced in 5 pigs. Microdialysate probes were inserted in ischemic and nonischemic myocardium. Gd-DTPA-BMA (0.3 mmol/kg b.w.) and Dy-DTPA-BMA (1.0 mmol/kg b.w.) were administered i.v. 4 hours post occlusion. The microdialysate was collected every 10 min and measured for Gd and Dy using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. The pigs were sacrificed 2 hours after administration of contrast media. The concentration of both contrast agents was 3 times higher in infarcted myocardium than in nonischemic myocardium. The infarctions displayed high signal intensity in spin-echo sequences ex vivo. This lack of detectable susceptibility effects from Dy may be caused by loss of cell membrane integrity in infarcted tissue as shown by our microdialysate and biopsy data.

Analysis of Variance↗

Combination of gadolinium and dysprosium chelates as a cellular integrity marker in MR imaging.

A combination of gadolinium (Gd) and dysprosium (Dy) chelates was investigated as a potential marker of cell-membrane integrity by means of a double-contrast effect in MR imaging. Blood samples with varying hematocrit (Hct) levels containing intact or lysed cells were used as model systems. With intact cells, the agents were assumed to be distributed solely extracellularly and the highest Hct studied (69%) was assumed to mimic the ratio of extracellular to intracellular water in tissue. The combined effect on image intensity of Gd (in a concentration corresponding to 0.2 mmol/kg b.w. in humans) and Dy (0.6 mmol/kg b.w.) applied simultaneously was a marked difference in signal intensity between samples with intact and lysed cells in both the T1- and T2-weighted spin-echo images with a corresponding increase in the contrast-to-noise ratio. This was the result of a T1 reduction caused by Gd with a negligible Dy susceptibility effect in areas with lysed cells. On the other hand, the Dy susceptibility effect (i.e. reduced apparent T2) dominated in areas with intact cells. Thus, the combination of Gd and Dy may serve as a marker of cell-membrane integrity in MR examinations.

Cell Membrane↗

MR imaging of gadolinium-DTPA-BMA-enhanced reperfused and nonreperfused porcine myocardial infarction.

To investigate whether Gd-DTPA-BMA-enhanced MR imaging permits differentiation between reperfused and nonreperfused myocardial infarction, myocardial infarction was induced in 12 domestic pigs. In 6 pigs, Gd-DTPA-BMA, 0.3 mmol/kg b.w. was administered i.v. 60 min after the occlusion. In 6 other pigs, the infarctions were reperfused 80 min after the occlusion, followed by injection of Gd-DTPA-BMA after 20 min of reperfusion. Radiolabeled microspheres were used to confirm zero-flow during the occlusion period and reperfusion in the infarcted myocardium. All pigs were killed 20 min after injection of contrast medium, and the hearts were excised and imaged with MR. The Gd concentration was measured in infarcted and nonischemic myocardium by ICP-AES. In the reperfused hearts, the infarctions were strongly highlighted, corresponding to a 5-fold higher Gd concentration in infarcted vis-à-vis nonischemic myocardium. In the hearts subjected to occlusion without reperfusion, there was only a rim of enhancement in the peripheral part of the infarctions.

Animals↗

Measurement of magnetic susceptibility and MR contrast agent concentration.

This paper describes an MR imaging method for determining magnetic susceptibility constants of solutions containing paramagnetic contrast agents. The method's validity is demonstrated on Gd(DTPA) and Dy(DTPA) water solutions. The method can be used for measurement of the volume magnetic susceptibility or concentration of contrast agents in biological tissues.

Animals↗

Superparamagnetic iron oxide for liver imaging. Comparison among three different preparations.

OBJECTIVES: The effects of differently sized superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) particles as liver contrast agents were evaluated by relaxation analysis and magnetic resonance imaging in normal rabbits. METHODS: We performed relaxivity measurements in agarose gels; T1 was measured by saturation recovery. Rabbits were injected with SPIO particles to evaluate hepatocellular localization and magnetic resonance appearance. RESULTS: Small (30 nm), medium (300 nm) and large SPIO particles (3,500 nm) reduced the T2 of liver by 50%, 40% and 15%, respectively, and the T2 of spleen by approximately 60%, 65%, and 25%, respectively, at 1 mg Fe/kg intravenous injection. Both small and medium SPIO particles decreased the T1 of spleen by approximately 35%, with no effect on liver T1. Magnetic resonance imaging showed decreased signal intensity ratios (SIliver/SImuscle) by approximately 80% and 60% for small and medium SPIO particles, respectively. Iron oxide (positive Perls blue staining) was observed in Kupffer cells after injection of medium and large SPIO particles, and also in hepatocytes after injection of small SPIO particles. CONCLUSION: The liver contrast effect seemed to be related to cellular distribution; the widely distributed small SPIO particles were most effective.

Animals↗

Interferon treatment of neuroendocrine tumour xenografts as monitored by MRI.

The neuroendocrine-differentiated colonic carcinoma cell line (LCC-18) was transplanted to 29 nude mice (Balb/c). The purpose of the present study was to establish an animal model that would allow monitoring with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of changes induced by interferon (IFN) therapy and to evaluate whether the therapeutic response, as expressed by changes in MR signal characteristics and tumour proliferation activity, could be modulated by different IFN dosages. IFN did not seem to have any obvious antiproliferative effect on the LCC-18 tumour cell line transplanted to nude mice and no convincing treatment-related changes in rho values or T1 and T2 relaxation values were observed. The animal model was probably unsuitable for demonstration of IFN effects.

Animals↗

Gd-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging in mediastinal Hodgkin's disease.

Gd-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging of 15 patients with primary mediastinal Hodgkin's disease was done before, during and after treatment. A total of 43 MR examinations were performed. After successful treatment, 13 patients had residual masses with reduced signal intensity (SI) ratio in the T2-weighted images. The majority of these also had decreased contrast enhancement as compared with the corresponding primary tumour. There was a significant positive correlation between the contrast enhancement and the SI ratios in the T2-weighted images of the primary tumours and/or the residual masses. Necrosis was seen in 3 of the primary tumours and one patient had a cystic residual mass. These necrotic/cystic lesions were easier to detect with the use of Gd-DTPA. Low SI ratio in the T2-weighted image and low contrast enhancement of the residual mass seem to indicate residual inactivity. Gd-DTPA facilitates the differentiation between cystic/necrotic and solid lesions.

Adolescent↗

Detection of breast cancer metastases in the cervical spine.

Thirty women with breast cancer and indications of possible cervical spine metastases underwent skeletal scintigraphy, conventional radiography, MR imaging and CT. By combining all examinations a diagnosis was settled in each patient and the different imaging techniques were compared. For all of the 26 patients with metastases in the cervical spine the correct diagnosis was found with MR imaging and CT. Both modalities also revealed paravertebral tumour growth, MR (n = 8) more than CT (n = 3). The sensitivity of skeletal scintigraphy in detecting metastases in the cervical spine was rather low, but as these examinations cover the whole body they are still convenient screening procedures, and combined with conventional radiography of selected areas are probably sufficient in many cases. Supplementary examinations with CT or MR would be valuable in patients with equivocal findings at screening for metastases or with clinical indications of metastases that remain unexplained after scintigraphy and radiography.

Adult↗

Quantification of inhomogeneities in malignancy grading of non-Hodgkin lymphoma with MR imaging.

In a previous study of 50 patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) it was shown that the inhomogeneous appearance of a tumor at MR imaging strongly indicated a high malignancy grade. In this study of 33 patients with NHL, the administration of an i.v. contrast medium, Gadolinium-DTPA, improved the subjective detectability of the inhomogeneities. A method of quantifying the degree of inhomogeneity in the tumors (inhomogeneity index, IH-index) was developed and tested. The mean value of IH-index in the T2-weighted image before contrast medium administration, and of the T1-weighted image after contrast medium administration, as well as the IH-index value in the T2-weighted image before contrast medium administration alone, was able to discriminate well between low- and high-grade NHL. This method of quantifying the degree of inhomogeneity in tumors improved sensitivity in detecting high-grade NHL.

Adult↗

Double-contrast enhanced MR imaging of myocardial infarction in the pig.

Myocardial infarction was induced by ligating a diagonal branch of the left anterior descending artery in 18 pigs. All pigs were sacrificed 6 h after the occlusion. Dysprosium diethylenetriamine-pentaacetic acid bismethylamide (Dy-DTPA-BMA, 1.0 mmol/kg) was administered i.v. to 6 pigs, starting 3 min before sacrifice (injection time approximately 1 min). In a second group of 6 pigs, a double-contrast technique was used, consisting of an i.v. injection of gadolinium-DTPA-BMA (0.4 mmol/kg) 2 h before sacrifice, followed by an i.v. injection of Dy-DTPA-BMA (1.0 mmol/kg) 3 min before sacrifice. Six additional pigs, subjected to 6 h of coronary artery occlusion without administration of contrast medium, served as controls. The hearts were excised and imaged with MR. In the control animals, the infarctions demonstrated an increased signal intensity in the proton density- and T2-weighted images. Administration of Dy-DTPA-BMA primarily improved infarct visualization in the proton density- and T2-weighted images, due to reduction of signal intensity in nonischemic myocardium. The double-contrast technique further improved infarct visualization in all sequences.

Animals↗

MR imaging of acute myocardial infarction in pigs using Gd-DTPA-labeled dextran.

Myocardial infarctions were induced in 12 pigs. In 6 pigs, dextran-(Gd-DTPA)15 (approximately 0.1 mmol Gd/kg b.w.) was injected i.v. 4 to 4.5 hours after coronary artery occlusion. ECG gated MR images were obtained repeatedly before (n = 4) and after (n = 6) contrast medium injection. Relaxation times in blood samples were measured repeatedly. The animals were sacrificed 2 hours after contrast medium administration. The hearts were excised, reexamined in the MR equipment and stained with triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) in order to define areas of infarction. The remaining 6 pigs were sacrificed 6 hours after occlusion without administration of contrast medium. These hearts were only imaged ex vivo. In vivo, the infarctions could not be identified with or without dextran-(Gd-DTPA)15. Ex vivo, without contrast medium, the infarctions had an increased signal intensity, most pronounced in the T2-weighted images. Dextran-(Gd-DTPA)15 caused a prolonged, pronounced shortening of T1 and T2 in blood samples. The infarct demarcation improved in the T1-weighted images after injection of dextran-(Gd-DTPA)15, due to a moderate enhancement in normal myocardium and a stronger enhancement at the periphery of the infarctions, while the central parts of the infarctions were only weakly enhanced.

Animals↗

Nonresectable adenocarcinoma of the rectum assessed by MR imaging before and after chemotherapy and irradiation.

Thirty-four patients with nonresectable adenocarcinoma of the rectum, defined as tumor fixation at digital examination, were examined with MR. All 34 patients had, according to MR imaging, perirectal tumor growth. In 23 (68%) of the patients, the tumor has reached an adjacent organ. Eight of these patients had disturbances of the MR characteristics in the adjacent organ which proved to be due to overgrowth, i.e., to tumor invasion into these structures. In the remaining 15 patients, without disturbed MR characteristics, 7 had tumor overgrowth at laparotomy. When there was a visible space between the tumor and adjacent organs, there was no sign of tumor overgrowth at laparotomy, except in one case. In 24 patients, examined both before and after combined irradiation and drug therapy, tumor regression was registered after treatment. MR imaging seems to be useful in the assessment of resectability and to evaluate preoperative anticancer treatment in patients with nonresectable rectal carcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Motion associated susceptibility artifacts.

A bowel labeling agent is important for improving abdominal MR. Besides providing contrast between the bowel and other organs, the contrast agent itself is a potential source of artifacts. The artifacts created by superparamagnetic particles (SPP) subjected to motion have been studied in vitro at 0.5 T, and compared to artifacts created by a paramagnetic compound. Apart from the expected static effects of the SPP, movement induced additional artifacts were seen as signal displacements in the phase-encoding direction. The artifacts were obvious at an iron concentration of 1 mg Fe/ml, barely visible at 0.2 mg Fe/ml, and completely absent at 0.1 mg Fe/ml. Artifacts were also evident with the SPP outside the imaging slice. This further emphasizes the importance of choosing the lowest effective dose when using SPP contrast agents. For the paramagnetic agent, motion propagated artifacts consisted of high and low signal regions in a mosaic pattern.

Artifacts↗

MR imaging with histopathological correlation in vertebral metastases of breast cancer.

In 5 patients with advanced breast cancer and spinal metastases MR imaging of the spine was performed before and/or after death. T1-, proton density-, and T2-weighted and "phase contrast" images were obtained in the sagittal plane. Autopsies included histopathologic examination of whole sagittal sections of the vertebral body. The relative signal intensities on the different MR sequences of various tissues identified histologically were evaluated. "Phase contrast" images combined with T1-weighted images were highly sensitive in detecting metastases. All metastatic tumours over 3 mm in size were found with MR imaging. Vertebrae containing connective tissue and reactive bone marrow had an MR appearance similar to that of metastases even though no metastases were found histopathologically.

Adult↗

Magnetic resonance imaging in idiopathic hemochromatosis.

The therapeutic management of patients with idiopathic hemochromatosis (IH) requires an accurate estimate of hepatic iron overload in order to prevent tissue fibrosis and organ failure. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to estimate liver iron overload in 5 patients with IH and in 8 normal controls. Signal intensity ratio between liver and subcutaneous fat in T1-, proton- and T2-weighted images was significantly lower in IH when compared with normal controls, and increased gradually during treatment by phlebotomy. Mean serum ferritin at diagnosis was 755 micrograms/l (range: 648-900) in IH and 85 micrograms/l (range: 19-232) in normal controls. A high correlation (r = -0.93) was present between liver signal intensity ratio and serum ferritin; both changed in parallel during removal of iron by phlebotomy. MRI may provide a safe and accurate method of detecting iron overload in the precirrhotic phase of IH, obviating the need for liver biopsy. It may also be used to monitor treatment.

Adult↗

Effect of superparamagnetic particles in agarose gels. A magnetic resonance imaging study.

The effect of different preparations of superparamagnetic particles, designed as potential MR contrast media for the gastrointestinal tract (oral magnetic particles, OMP, diameter of 3.5 microns, iron content 20% by weight) and for the reticuloendothelial system (intravenous magnetic particles, IMP, mean diameter of 0.3 micron, iron content 30% by weight), were evaluated in agarose gels in vitro, using a 0.5 T whole body MR system. The iron content ranged from 2.1 x 10(-4) to 2.1 x 10(-1) mg Fe/ml in both preparations. Both preparations reduced the signal intensities substantially over a range of concentrations in spin echo sequences. Generally, the signal intensity decreased monotonously with concentration, except for IMP at low concentrations, at which a minor signal intensity increase was observed on T1 and proton density weighted images. The reduction of the signal intensity was stronger in gradient echo and phase contrast sequences, as compared to corresponding spin echo sequences with similar timing. Both IMP and OMP had a pronounced T2 effect, the effect of IMP being stronger than that of OMP. IMP had a relatively smaller T1 effect, whereas T1 was almost unaffected by OMP. Susceptibility artifacts occurred at higher concentrations of both OMP and IMP, in all sequences used. Thus, OMP reduced the signal intensity, without causing significant artifacts, on both T1 and T2 weighted images over a relatively wide range of concentrations.

Contrast Media↗