Optimisation of the bolus and infusion protocol for equilibrium magnetic resonance imaging

Changes in the fractional volume of the extravascular, extracellular space (VEES) can be indicative of pathology. Equilibrium MRI (EQ-MRI) is a recently proposed technique to measure VEES, provided a constant concentration is reached between the contrast agent in the blood pool and tissue of interest. A pharmacokinetic model of a bolus and infusion protocol was devised to predict an optimal infusion rate and the time when equilibrium would be reached over a range of Ktrans values incorporating both diseased and healthy tissue. Pilot data collected in a control is indicative that equilibrium was reached in normal liver and muscle tissue.