Dynamic Gd-DTPA enhanced breath-hold 1.5 t MRI of normal lungs and patients with interstitial lung disease and pulmonary nodules: preliminary results*

A FLASH technique was used, which encompassed the entire thorax in the transverse plane, before and after dynamic intravenous injection of godalinium DTPA (Gd-DTPA) to study 7 patients with normal lungs, 12 patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD), and 11 patients with pulmonary nodules. Comparative CT studies were obtained within 2 weeks of the MRI study in the patients with lung disease. Quantitative signal intensity (SI) measurements were performed. Qualitative evaluation of lung parenchyma was determined in a prospective blinded fashion, and in the normal group comparison was made with the CT images. In normal patients, SI of lung parenchyma increased by 7.7 ± 1.3%. On precontrast images, second-order pulmonary branchings were visible while post-contrast, fifth-to sixth-order branches were apparent. In patients with ILD, interstitial changes enhanced to a variable ] substantial (308.4%). Detection of pulmonary nodules improved following contrast injection. The minimum lesion size detectable decreased from 8 mm precontrast to 5 mm post-contrast. Percentage contrast enhancement was greater for malignant nodules (124.2 ±79.7%) than benign nodules (5.8 ± 4.7%)(p<0.01).Society of North America, 1–6 December 1991, ChicagoCorrespondence to: R. C. SemelkaPresented in part at the Annual Meeting of the Radiological1