Aim: To compare the sensitivities of dynamic Gadoteridol (Gd)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and conventional Gd-enhanced spin-echo (SE) T1-weighted imaging (WI) in the detection of decreased perfusion of early epiphyseal ischaemia, and to determine the contribution of metaphyseal vascularity to physeal perfusion in epiphyseal vascular occlusion by dynamic Gd-enhanced MRI.
Materials and methods: Twenty-eight 2-week-old piglets were divided evenly into four groups: control groups A and B, and ischaemic groups A and B (seven animals in each). In the ischaemic groups, MRI was performed bilaterally on hips in persistent hyperabduction for 30 min. In the control and ischaemic group A the piglets underwent dynamic Gd-enhanced MRI, and in control and ischaemic group B the piglets were subjected to Gd-enhanced SE T1WI.
Results: In ischaemic group A, the enhancement ratio (ER) and enhancement speed (ES) of the various tissues (except the metaphysis) were significantly lower than those in control group A on dynamic Gd-enhanced MRI (p<0.05). However, in ischaemic group B, no significant decrease in the ER of each tissue was found, compared with the ER in control group B as viewed using Gd-enhanced SE T1WI (p>0.05). On dynamic Gd-enhanced MRI, the ER and ES of the physis were less than those of metaphysis in the ischaemic group A (p<0.05); however, the ER and ES of the physis were similar to those of metaphysis in control group A (p>0.05).
Conclusion: Dynamic Gd-enhanced MRI is more sensitive than conventional Gd-enhanced SE T1WI in the detection of early epiphyseal ischaemia. Physeal perfusion might be from the metaphysis in epiphyseal vascular occlusion.