MACE: Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 95.0258-2

Key words (English)

Contrast agents; magnetic resonance imaging; relaxivity

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: BMH4CT960051

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 4. Frame Research Programme - 4.2 Agriculture and agroindustry

Short description (English)

See abstract

Partners and International Organizations (English)

Univers. of Mons (B), Delft (NL), Lausanne (CH), OSLO (N), Turin (I)

Abstract (English)

The objective of the MACE project is the design, development, synthesis and preclinical testing of improved high molecular-weight paramagnetic complexes and nanoparticles, resulting in positive perfusion agents for MR imaging. These compounds are aimed to remain almost exclusively in the intravascular space, to enhance the blood vessels selectively, and to be savely excreted, preferably through the kidneys. These blood pool agents must provide a T1 relaxivity twice as strong as standard lowmolecular weight Gadolinium contrast agents (extracellular agents).
Within a cooporation of the universities of Mons (Belgium), Delft (Netherlands), Oslo (Norway), Turin (Italy) and Lausanne (Switzerland), new compounds have been developped within the last two years of the contract. Simultaneously, the clinical center in Basel established an experimental model for preclinical testing of the new compounds in animals.
Hardware components have been built and implemented into a 1.5 T vision MR-system. A small Alderman-Grant resonator for proton imaging at 1.5 T was constructed. This resonator was designed for animal experiments on rats to improve signal-to-noise ratio and homogeneity of the magnetic field as well of the RF pulses. New shimming procedures were integrated successfully.
Recent software developments at our institution meanwhile enable a spatial resolution of less than 0.25 mm isotropic.
Moreover, ultrafast sequences for evaluation of contrast media perfusion have been generated. Time resolution is less than one second with a simultaneous spatial resolution of 1 mm. Integration of this new concept into MR-Angiography is successfully performed in volunteer studies. It shall be tested for animal imaging with blood pool compounds as well.
Due to delay in the development of the contrast media compounds in the partner universities, the animal investigations on the new compounds will start May 1999.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 95.0258-2