Gadolinium is the most common contrast agent used for MRI – it can be given intravenously or injected directly into a body part
Abnormal tissue may enhance more than surrounding normal tissue following intravenous gadolinium
Abnormal tissue may also retain gadolinium longer than normal tissue
Additional information can sometimes be gained by use of a contrast agent.
The most common contrast agent is gadolinium, a para-magnetic substance which produces very high T1 signal. It is usually given intravenously, but can also be injected directly into a body part, such as a joint.
Intravenous gadolinium
Pre and post-gadolinium T1-weighted images are compared in order to assess 'enhancement' of tissues. Abnormal tissue, such as inflamed or cancerous tissue, is often more vascular than surrounding tissue and so 'enhances', appearing brighter on post-gadolinium images
Fluid containing gadolinium has been injected into the shoulder joint revealing displacement of the anterior glenoid labrum in this patient with recurrent shoulder dislocation
