Radiology, Vol 154, 727-731, Copyright © 1985 by Radiological Society of North America
Magnetic resonance relaxation times of percutaneously obtained normal and abnormal body fluids
JJ Brown, E vanSonnenberg, KH Gerber, G Strich, GR Wittich and RA Slutsky
Seventy-three fluid samples obtained via percutaneous aspiration and
drainage were analyzed by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The
fluids included abscess contents, bile, ascitic fluid, cyst and pseudocyst
fluid, urine, hematomas, pleural fluid, lymphoceles, seromas, cerebrospinal
fluid, pancreatic ductal fluid, and necrotic tumor. They were grouped by
their clinical etiology and analyzed with respect to their inherent
magnetic relaxation properties. In addition, some of the samples were
tested for the following chemical parameters which were correlated with T1
and T2 values: total protein content (n = 36), osmolality (n = 24),
specific gravity (n = 11), and amylase levels (n = 23). A large overlap was
found in the T1 (spin-lattice) and T2 (spin-spin) relaxation times of the
fluids; however, the mean T1 values of abscesses and hematomas were
significantly lower than those of other fluids. Similar variability was
seen in T2 values, though hematomas and abscesses again could be
distinguished by shorter relaxation times. The spin-lattice (1/T1) and
spin-spin relaxation rates (1/T2) showed a moderate correlation with total
protein content, osmolality, and specific gravity. It is concluded that
there is some predictability to MR analysis of body fluids, though the
overlap in magnetic relaxation times limits specificity.
