Liver enhancement in healthy dogs after gadoxetic acid administration during dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging

Dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE)-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) consists of acquisition of native baseline images, followed by a series of acquisitions performed during and after administration of a contrast medium. DCE-MRI, in conjunction with hepatobiliary-specific contrast media, such as gadoxetic acid (GD-EOB-DTPA), allows for precise characterisation of the enhancement pattern of the hepatic parenchyma following administration of the contrast agent. The aim of the study was to assess the pattern of temporal resolution contrast enhancement of the hepatic parenchyma following administration of GD-EOB-DTPA and to determine the optimal time window for post-contrast assessment of the liver. The study was carried out on eight healthy beagle dogs. MRI was performed using a 1.5 T scanner. The imaging protocol included T1 weighted (T1-W) gradient echo (GRE), T2 weighted (T2-W) turbo spin echo (TSE) and dynamic T1-W GRE sequences. The dynamic T1-W sequence was performed using single 10 mm thick slices. Regions of interest (ROIs) were chosen and the signal intensity curves were calculated for quantitative image analysis. The mean time to peak for all dogs was 26 min. The plateau phase lasted on average 21 min. A gradual decrease in the signal intensity of the hepatic parenchyma was observed in all dogs. A DCE-MRI enhancement pattern of the hepatic parenchyma was evident in dogs following the administration of a GD-EOB-DTPA, establishing baseline data for an optimal time window between 26 and 41 min after administration of the contrast agent.