Effect of Gadolinium-Based Contrast Agent on the Relaxation Properties of Water and Fat in Human Liver as Measured in Vivo by 1H MRS.

Gavin Hamilton¹, Michael S. Middleton¹, Guilherme M. Cunha¹, Claude B. Sirlin¹

Gadolinium-based contrast agents may affect water and fat differently in in vivo liver MR imaging. In this study we evaluate the effect of a hepatocyte-specific MR gadolinium-based contrast agent on T1 and T2 of fat and water in human subjects using a ¹H MRS pulse sequence designed to measure T1, T2, and proton density fat fraction (PDFF) simultaneously in a single 21 s breath-hold. We find while gadolinium-based contrast agents significantly reduced T1 and T2 of water, there was no change in fat T1 and T2 and post-contrast water and fat both showed similar T1 values.