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[Contrast-enhanced MR angiography of abdominal vessels using a 1.0 T system]
K Oberholzer1, K F Kreitner, P Kalden
1Klinik für Radiologie, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz. oberholz@radiologie.klinik.uni-mainz.de
Purpose:
To evaluate the efficacy of breath-hold, three-dimensional, contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography with a 1.0 T system for imaging the abdominal vessels in comparison to conventional arteriography (CA).
Methods:
The abdominal aorta and visceral arteries were studied in 54 patients (60 examinations) on a 1.0 T scanner using an ultrafast gadolinium-enhanced gradient-echo sequence with the following parameters: TR/TE = 3.8/1.4 ms, flip angel 25 degrees, matrix 198 x 256, field 380-420 mm, pixel size 1.9 x 1.48 mm2, slice thickness 1.5-2.5 mm, acquisition time 22-26 sec. Individual circulation times were determined by a test bolus before each MR angiography. Conventional arteriography was performed in 23 of the 60 cases.
Results:
172 vessel segments of 23 MR angiographies were compared with CA, sensitivity and specificity were 96.4% and 97.2%. Over-estimations of stenoses or occlusions (n = 4) were caused by the limited resolution of small vessel branches and one stent artifact.
Conclusion:
Contrast-enhanced MR angiography of the abdominal vessels may replace invasive digital subtraction angiography in certain cases like perioperative or peri-interventional diagnostics. Imaging of small peripheral vessels remains a problem and limits use of the method.