PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Nguyen, C
AU  - An, H
AU  - Ho, K C
AU  - Haughton, V M
AU  - Hasegawa, T
TI  - Utility of high-dose contrast enhancement for detecting recurrent herniated intervertebral disks.
DP  - 1994 Aug 01
TA  - American Journal of Neuroradiology
PG  - 1291--1297
VI  - 15
IP  - 7
4099  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/15/7/1291.short
4100  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/15/7/1291.full
SO  - Am. J. Neuroradiol.1994 Aug 01; 15
AB  - PURPOSE To study the utility of high-dose contrast enhancement in the detection of recurrent herniated disk fragments. METHODS Recurrent herniated disks were modeled in nine dogs by placing a fragment of normal autologous disk tissue in the epidural space at laminectomy. MR was performed at 30, 60, and 90 days with 0.3 mmol/kg of gadoteridol and repeated 24 hours later with 0.1 mmol/kg of gadopentetate dimeglumine. Contrast enhancement in the disk and scar tissue was measured and conspicuousness of the disk fragments assessed. RESULTS In 70% of the animals, disk fragments were more conspicuous with the larger dose of contrast medium than with the smaller dose. In 30% of animals the conspicuousness was approximately equal. Contrast between disk fragment and scar decreased with time elapsed since surgery, with time elapsed since contrast-medium injection, and with decreasing dose of contrast medium. CONCLUSION In the experimental model, increased conspicuousness of disk fragments was achieved with the larger dose of contrast medium. A clinical study is needed to confirm that a contrast-medium dose of 0.3 mmol/kg improves detection of recurrent herniated disks over a dose of 0.1 mmol/kg.