MR Imaging Protocol for the polycystic kidney disease

The MRI protocol for the autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) study was standardized and implemented in 1.5 T MRI scanners. In each subject, a phased-array surface coil was positioned with its center over the inferior costal margin, estimated as the upper margin of the kidney. The field of view was maintained between 30 and 35 cm. 

• The kidneys were imaged first posteroanterior in the coronal plane using the T2-weighted single-shot fast spin-echo (SSFSE/HASTE) sequence with fat saturation at 3 mm fixed slice thickness during breath-hold(s). For small kidneys or for a subject who can take a long breath-hold, one set of images obtained during a single breath-hold would be sufficient to cover the entire kidneys. For large kidneys, however, more than one set of images would be required, where neighboring image sets were overlapped by one slice. 
• After the T2-weighted images were obtained, breath-hold coronal, three-dimensional spoiled gradient interpolated T1-weighted images without fat saturation at 3 mm fixed-slice thickness were obtained. 
• Following this acquisition of pregadolinium T1 images, 0.1 mmol/kg gadolinium was injected at 1 ml/s. 
• The same T1-weighted imaging sequence was repeated to acquire postgadolinium T1 images as prescribed in the CRISP study protocol 

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