Hepatic infarcts

The author discusses how to investigate the distribution of nonspecific (Gd-DTPA) and tissue-specific (Gd-BOPTA and iron oxide) MR contrast agents in experimentally induced hepatic infarction, 30 rats were imaged 6 and 12 hours after hepatic artery ligation. On unenhanced MR images, infarcts showed variable signal intensities (hypo-, iso-, and hyperintense, and heterogeneous) relative to viable liver. After injection of Gd-DTPA, 66% of the infarcts showed enhancement. One-third of these infarcts became isointense to surrounding liver and could not be detected on the enhanced images. Gd-BOPTA showed greater enhancement of normal liver and distinguished infarction better than did Gd-DTPA. After injection of AMI- 25, all infarcts had unchanged signal intensity and appeared hyperintense relative to the decreased signal intensity of viable, functioning liver