Contrast material travel times in patients undergoing peripheral MR angiography.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively review time-resolved two-dimensional projection magnetic resonance (MR) angiographic data to characterize the passage of gadolinium-based contrast material down the leg arteries in patients undergoing peripheral MR angiography.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data of 87 consecutive standardized peripheral MR angiographic examinations were retrospectively reviewed to determine contrast material arrival times to the common femoral artery (CFA), the popliteal and tibial arteries, and the corresponding veins. Travel times were correlated with clinical data obtained with retrospective chart review and predictive multiparameter models developed with stepwise linear regression.

RESULTS: The mean travel time of contrast material to the CFA was 24 seconds +/- 6 (SD), with additional 5 seconds +/- 2 to reach the popliteal artery and 7 seconds +/- 4 to reach the ankle artery. The mean time window of arterial enhancement was 49 seconds +/- 10 in the pelvis, 45 seconds +/- 10 in the thigh, and 35 seconds +/- 14 in the calf. The travel time to CFA was correlated with aortic aneurysm (r = 0.41; P <.001), increasing age (r = 0.31; P =.003), male sex (r = 0.3; P =.005), myocardial infarction (r = 0.26; P =.016), and type 2 diabetes mellitus (r = -0.22; P =.041). Predicted travel time to CFA was 10.6 seconds, plus 0.143 seconds times patient age, plus 4.8 seconds if aneurysm was present, plus 3.8 seconds if male sex, plus 2.8 seconds if history of myocardial infarction.

CONCLUSION: Contrast material injected intravenously traveled rapidly down the peripheral arteries at approximately 6 seconds per station, but a long arterial phase time window allowed bolus-chase peripheral MR angiography to function with slower table stepping. Patient-to-patient variations in contrast material kinetics may be anticipated on the basis of age, sex, and clinical parameters.