Coronary magnetic resonance angiography using magnetization-prepared contrast-enhanced breath-hold volume-targeted...

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Imaging
• Medical Diagnostics
• Radiology

Background:

• Coronary artery disease diagnosis relies heavily on x-ray angiography (XRA), the current gold standard.
• A significant number of patients undergoing XRA are found to have no significant coronary artery disease, indicating a need for alternative diagnostic methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a novel 3D breath-hold coronary magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) technique, MPCE-VCATS.
• To assess the capability of MPCE-VCATS in detecting hemodynamically significant coronary artery stenoses.
• To compare MPCE-VCATS findings with conventional XRA results.

Main Methods:

• Nineteen subjects referred for coronary angiography were enrolled.
• ECG-triggered MPCE-VCATS scans were performed for the left main, left anterior descending, and right coronary arteries.
• Coronary MRA results were compared against XRA findings.

Main Results:

• The overall sensitivity, accuracy, and negative predictive value for detecting significant coronary artery disease (> or =50% diameter reduction) were 91%, 80%, and 90%, respectively.
• MPCE-VCATS demonstrated high sensitivity (100%) and negative predictive value (100%) for the left main and left anterior descending arteries.
• Sensitivity and negative predictive value for the right coronary artery were 78% and 71%, respectively.

Conclusions:

• MPCE-VCATS is a promising coronary artery imaging technique with high sensitivity and negative predictive value.
• The findings suggest a potential future role for MPCE-VCATS in reducing the necessity for invasive XRA in select patient groups.