Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
U sing contrast agents is a common practice in The pulp of Aa, a fruit from the Amazon area, can be
medical imaging protocols, as is the case of widely found in tropical regions. Considering the
Magnetic Resonance Imaging. The evaluation of GI biphasic contrast revealed in the preliminary study [4],
tract by means of MRI has a close relation to this natural oral contrast agent could be clinically used,
availability of oral contrast agents. Oral contrasts are primarily to assist for a better contrast in images from
attractive to MRI if they have good digestive stomach and from a rotine examination of the
acceptance, uniform distribution in the bowel lumen, biliopancreatic tract, in Magnetic Resonance
unchanged contrast effect when diluted throughout the Cholangiopancreatography (MRCP).
gastrointestinal tract (GI), no toxicity, no peristalsis During MRCP, difficulties in the assessment of the
stimulus, and acceptable cost. Although some of them gallbladder, cystic duct, common bile duct (CBD), and
are commercially available, they are still not used pancreatic duct may be encountered because these
routinely in most clinical centers nowadays, due to structures are frequently masked by the overlap of the
many factors, such as possible side effects. Oral signal hyper-intensity from the surrounding tissues
contrast agents are usually classified by their increase contend [5]. We investigate the feasibility of using this
(positive agents) or decrease (negative agents) of the natural solution as a gastrointestinal oral negative
magnetic resonance imaging signal within the bowel contrast agent to null the bowel signal during MRCP.
[1].
GI agents change intra-luminal signal either by a METHODOLOGY
paramagnetic shortening of T1 or T2 of nearby tissues All images were acquired using a Siemens 1.5 T
or by having intrinsically short relaxation times [1,2,3]. Scanner (Magneton Vision). A body array coil was
Actually, many contrast solutions would be capable of used to generate T1-weighted images (TR/TE =
changing signal intensity, typically based on heavy 177.8/4.1 ms, FOV 350 mm, 256 x 256, 6 mm slice
metal ions, as of Gadolinium (III), Manganese (II), thickness) and T2-weighted images (TR/TE = 4400/64
Manganese (III), Iron (III), and copper (II) [4]. However, ms, FOV = 350 mm, 256 x 256, 6 mm slice thickness)
they have generally intrinsic side effects when used at a standard turbo spin-echo (TSE) sequence.
orally [0]. Ferric iron, for example, can provoke teeth We studied 10 non-symptomatic subjects, with 12
staining, gastric irritation, nausea, diarrhea, and hours of fasting. Ten axial slices centered at the
constipation. Mannitol may cause nausea, vomiting, stomach region were acquired, under three distinct
and diarrhea [2]. Gd-DTPA without Mannitol is well experimental conditions: first in the fasting state with
an empty stomach (baseline), followed by the ingestion
Manuscript received March 10, 2005. This work was supported in part of water and finally by the ingestion of Aa. As to
by the CNPq and CAPES. T. Arruda-Sanchez DFM FFCLRP Av implement the contrast agent in the clinical
Bandeirantes, 3900 14.040-901 Ribeirao Preto SP Brazul environment, these subjects more 35 patients were
tiago@biomag.usp.br.
RESULTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
REFERENCES
[5] Chan JHM, Tsui EYK, Yuen MK, Szeto ML, Luk
SH, Wong KPC, Wong NOW. Gadopentetate
Dimeglumine as an Oral Negative Gastrointestinal
Contrast Agent for MRCP. Abdom Imaging 2000;
25:508-10.
1384