3 Tesla MR imaging provides improved contrast in first-pass myocardial perfusion imaging over a range of gadolinium doses.

PURPOSE: To compare myocardial enhancement during first-pass myocardial perfusion imaging at 3.0 Tesla (T) and 1.5T.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: First-pass myocardial perfusion imaging was performed on twelve normal subjects at 3T and 1.5T using an interleaved notched saturation recovery gradient echo pulse sequence. Subjects received either 0.10 mmol/kg for both scans (group 1), 0.075 mmol/kg for both scans (group 2), or 0.075 mmol/kg for the 3T scan and 0.10 mmol/kg for the 1.5T scan (group 3).

RESULTS: Contrast enhancement was significantly greater at 3T than at 1.5T for the 12 subjects whether enhancement was normalized to baseline signal intensity (2.58 +/- 0.76 vs. 1.52 +/- 0.37, p < 0.0001) or to noise (57.6 +/- 19.7 vs. 14.7 +/- 7.8, p < 0001). For each of the three groups, contrast enhancement was significantly greater at 3T versus 1.5T (p < 0.0001, p < 0.001, p < 0.008 when normalized to baseline signal; p < 0.0001 for all groups when normalized to noise).

CONCLUSION: 3T improves contrast in first-pass myocardial perfusion imaging at either 0.10 mmol/kg or 0.075 mmol/kg.