Comparison of kaopectate with barium for negative and positive enteric contrast at MR imaging

In an evaluation of safe, inexpensive, orally administered contrast agents for use at magnetic resonance imaging, different concentrations of the day agents kaolin-pectate and attapulgite were compared in an in vitro phantom by performing spin-echo imaging with variable echo times to estimate T2 relaxation time. Additional phantoms containing from 0% to 100% attapulgite or barium preparations were compared by using spin-echo and spoiled-gradient-echo techniques to estimate T1, T2, and T2* relaxation times. In vivo spin-echo and gradient-echo images were obtained of 10 healthy volunteers and of five patients with pancreatic disease after oral administration of 12-16 oz of attapulgite preparation. T1 and T2 relaxation times obtained with use of attapulgite were slightly lower than those obtained with kaolin-pectate at both 50% and 25% concentrations. Compared with barium, attapulgite had shorter T1, T2, and T2* relaxation times, and concentration-dependent relaxivity was greater by nearly an order of magnitude. All subjects were able to drink the attapulgite, and the only complaints were of bad taste and mildly loose stools.