Contrast-enhanced MR imaging of pulmonary arteries: new imaging strategies using different contrast agents

Table 1 Comparison of contrast agents and imaging sequences

Contrast Agent	Sequence	Vessel length (cm)	Vessel sharpness (%)	Contrast to Noise Ratio (CNR)	Image quality (mean ± SD)	Isotropic spatial resolution (mm³)
Gd-DTPA	CEMRA	14 ± 4‡	33 ± 6‡	89 ± 37‡	2.1 ± 1.2‡	1.77
	SSFP	17 ± 2*	41 ± 4*	134 ± 22*	3.2 ± 1.1*	1.49
Gadofosveset	CEMRA	13 ± 4‡	34 ± 7‡	99 ± 39‡	2.3 ± 1.1‡	1.77
	SSFP	17 ± 2*	40 ± 4*	136 ± 17*	3.1 ± 1.5*	1.49
	SSFP+IR	19 ± 3^†	47 ± 5^†	153 ± 24^†	3.6 ± 1.3^†	1.49

*p < 0.05 vs CEMRA, ^†p < 0.05 vs SSFP (same CA); no significant differences between corresponding sequences (Gd-DTPA vs Gadofosveset)

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