Preferential arterial imaging using gated thick-slice gadolinium-enhanced phase-contrast acquisition in peripheral...

Area of Science:

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Medical Imaging Techniques
• Vascular Imaging

Background:

• Phase-contrast imaging is a valuable tool for visualizing blood flow.
• Thick-slice acquisitions can be prone to partial volume artifacts.
• Gadolinium-based contrast agents enhance vascular signal.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of preferential arterial imaging using gadolinium-enhanced thick-slice phase-contrast MRI.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of this technique in reducing partial volume artifacts.

Main Methods:

• Six healthy volunteers underwent peripheral-gated, segmented k-space CINE phase-contrast MRI.
• Flow encoding was performed in the superior-inferior direction at the popliteal trifurcation level.
• Acquisitions were performed post-gadolinium contrast with varying section thicknesses (4-8 cm) and VENC values (20-150 cm/sec).

Main Results:

• Gadolinium-enhanced thick-slice phase-contrast imaging successfully visualized the tibio-peroneal arteries, particularly during systole.
• MR contrast agents significantly increased blood signal, reducing partial volume artifacts in thick slices.
• Adjusting VENC values based on the cardiac cycle selectively suppressed slow venous flow, enhancing arterial visualization.

Conclusions:

• Thick-slice phase-contrast MRI with gadolinium enhancement effectively reduces partial volume artifacts.
• Preferential arterial imaging can be achieved by optimizing VENC or utilizing systolic-diastolic image subtraction.
• This technique offers a promising approach for improved arterial visualization in MRI.