Patent ID: 6122540
Filing Date: 2000-09-19
Classification: A61B,G01R

Abstract:
A method of measuring renal function in a living subject comprising the steps of:a) obtaining a longitudinal spin relaxation time of said subject's blood without any added contrast agents, T.sub.1 B;b) injecting a longitudinal spin relaxation time contrast agent into said subject's blood shortening the longitudinal spin relaxation time of said blood;c) measuring a longitudinal spin relaxation time of pre-filtered blood, T.sub.1 A, prefiltered blood being blood on its way into the kidney, with magnetic resonance (MR) techniques, subsequent to injecting the contrast agent;d) measuring a longitudinal spin relaxation time of post-filtered blood, T.sub.1 V, post-filtered blood being blood on its way out of the kidney, with magnetic resonance (MR) techniques, subsequent to injecting the contrast agent; ande) calculating a filtration fraction, FF, from T.sub.1 A, T.sub.1 B, and T.sub.1 V indicating the fraction of contrast agent filtered from said subject's blood.