[Gadolinium-DTPA as an oral contrast medium for magnetic resonance tomography of the pancreas].

52 patients with normal pancreas, pancreatitis and pancreatic tumors were examined by magnetic resonance imaging (Magnetom 0.5 T). Using T1-, proton density- and T2-weighted spin-echo sequences images were obtained before and after oral administration of Gadolinium-DTPA (Gd-DTPA, 1 mM, 15 g/l Mannit, 5-13 ml/kg). Gd-DTPA resulted in hyperintense labeling of small bowel in all sequences and improved visualization of pancreatic head, body and tail in 15, 14 and 7 of 27 patients with normal pancreas and in 17, 8 and 6 of 25 patients with diseased pancreas. Better delineation of pseudocysts and tumorous gut wall invasion were diagnostically profitable. With regard to motion artifact reduced MRI of the intestine using fast sequences Gd-DTPA may be a suitable oral contrast agent to improve the imaging of the pancreas.