[MR angiography of the abdominal aorta: initial experience]

Flowing blood can be demonstrated as bright signal in MR-imaging resulting in MR-angiography (MRA). This study presents the results of MRA using the "time of flight"-effect in which projection angiograms along the longitudinal axis were established by a row of 2D-gradient echo (GE) images (FLASH) in breath-hold technique. The method was proven in 5 normal volunteers and evaluated against DSA in 21 patients with aortic diseases. The preliminary results demonstrate a satisfactory flow signal in the normally perfused aorta; thus occlusions, stenoses, and aneurysms could be defined clearly. In smaller vessels the signal was still insufficient. Diagnostic problems of vascular overlapping can be solved in most cases by rotating the angiograms, and by additional analysis of individual 2D-GE images. In the present form the quality of MRA is still inferior to that of DSA.