Gadolinium Effect on MRS
Does gadolinium contrast affect MR spectral lines?
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Gadolinium-based contrast agents produce susceptibility-induced distortions of local magnetic fields in tissues where they accumulate. This results in potential line broadening and height loss for all spectral lines, especially at longer TE values. In clinical practice, however, only the choline peak is noticeably affected, whose area may be significantly reduced depending on the organ, degree of enhancement, and type of contrast agent used.
Gadolinium contrast does not cross an intact blood-brain-barrier, so no spectral effects are observed in non-enhancing brain lesions. Even for markedly enhancing brain tumors, relativly little qualtitative effect can be noticed on short TE single voxel studies, although an approximately 15% reduction in choline peak area has been reported in brain tumors using 2D-CSI.
Choline structure. N-methyl protons (blue) are responsible for its main spectral line. The positive charge at this end of the molecule may make it more attracted to negatively charged gadolinium chelates.
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In body imaging gadolinium contrast rapidly accumulates in both normal and abnormal tissues and its effects are greater. In breast imaging, for example, gadolinium may reduce the area under the choline peak as much as 40%. Because the N-methyl group of choline is postitively charged, this phenomenon is more prominent when negatively charged chelates (such as Magnevist, MultiHance, and Dotarem) are used instead of neutral ones (e.g., Omniscan, ProHance).
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References
Lin AP, Ross BD. Short-echo time proton MR spectroscopy in the presence of gadolinium. J Comput Assist Tomogr 2001; 25:705-712.
Lenkinski RE, Wang X, Elian M, Goldberg SN. Interaction of gadolinium-based MR contrast agents with choline: implications for MR spectroscopy (MRS) of the breast. Magn Reson Med 2009; 61:1286-1292.
Murphy PS, Dzik-Jurasz AS, Leach MO, et al. The effect of Gd-DTPA on T1-weighted choline signal in human brain tumours. Magn Reson Imaging 2002; 20:127–130.
Sijens PE, van den Bent MJ, Nowak PJCM, et al. ¹H chemical shift imaging reveals loss of brain tumor choline signal after administration of Gd-contrast. Magn Reson Med 1997; 37: 222–225.
Smith JK, Kwock L, Castillo M. Effects of contrast material on single-volume proton MR spectroscopy. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2000; 21: 1084-1089.
Lin AP, Ross BD. Short-echo time proton MR spectroscopy in the presence of gadolinium. J Comput Assist Tomogr 2001; 25:705-712.
Lenkinski RE, Wang X, Elian M, Goldberg SN. Interaction of gadolinium-based MR contrast agents with choline: implications for MR spectroscopy (MRS) of the breast. Magn Reson Med 2009; 61:1286-1292.
Murphy PS, Dzik-Jurasz AS, Leach MO, et al. The effect of Gd-DTPA on T1-weighted choline signal in human brain tumours. Magn Reson Imaging 2002; 20:127–130.
Sijens PE, van den Bent MJ, Nowak PJCM, et al. ¹H chemical shift imaging reveals loss of brain tumor choline signal after administration of Gd-contrast. Magn Reson Med 1997; 37: 222–225.
Smith JK, Kwock L, Castillo M. Effects of contrast material on single-volume proton MR spectroscopy. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2000; 21: 1084-1089.
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