Blood volume measurement using cardiovascular magnetic resonance and ferumoxytol: preclinical validation

BACKGROUND: The hallmark of heart failure is increased blood volume. Quantitative blood volume measures are not conveniently available and are not tested in heart failure management. We assess ferumoxytol, a marketed parenteral iron supplement having a long intravascular half-life, to measure the blood volume with cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR). METHODS: Swine were administered 0.7 mg/kg ferumoxytol and blood pool T(1) was measured repeatedly for an hour to characterize contrast agent extraction and subsequent effect on V(blood) estimates. We compared CMR blood volume with a standard carbon monoxide rebreathing method. We then evaluated three abbreviated acquisition protocols for bias and precision. RESULTS: Mean plasma volume estimated by ferumoxytol was 61.9 ± 4.3 ml/kg. After adjustment for hematocrit the resultant mean blood volume was 88.1 ± 9.4 ml/kg, which agreed with carbon monoxide measures (91.1 ± 18.9 ml/kg). Repeated measurements yielded a coefficient of variation of 6.9%, and Bland-Altman repeatability coefficient of 14%. The blood volume estimates with abbreviated protocols yielded small biases (mean differences between 0.01–0.06 L) and strong correlations (r(2) between 0.97–0.99) to the reference values indicating clinical feasibility. CONCLUSIONS: In this swine model, ferumoxytol CMR accurately measures plasma volume, and with correction for hematocrit, blood volume. Abbreviated protocols can be added to diagnostic CMR examination for heart failure within 8 min.