New Article in Applied Radiology, the Journal of Practical Medical Imaging and Management:
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents are widely used to increase the contrast difference between normal and abnormal tissues. Also known as gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs), these MR contrast agents are generally referred to as T1 agents because they shorten T1 relaxation time, which can be referred to as the T1 relaxivity of the agent.
Relaxivity is an important criterion in selecting a GBCA. “It is a measure of how rapidly it affects the re-growing of longitudinal magnetization. This effect increases the brightness of T1 images and results in improved lesion detection and delineation. Radiologists widely utilize GBCAs to enhance tumors, vessels, or other structures,” says Kohkan Shamsi, MD, PhD, co-founder and principal of RadMD, an imaging consultancy.