Three-dimensional reconstructed contrast-enhanced MR angiography for internal iliac artery branch visualization...

To evaluate the feasibility of three-dimensional (3D) reconstructed contrast-enhanced (CE) magnetic resonance (MR) angiography in mapping the pelvic arteries in women before uterine artery embolization (UAE).

CE MR angiography studies before UAE in 49 women (age range, 38-57 years; mean, 47.04 y +/- 4.7 [SD]) who underwent UAE for uterine leiomyomas between February 2005 and February 2007 were retrospectively evaluated by two radiologists in consensus. Studies were performed on a 1.5-T MR unit with a 3D fast low-angle shot sequence in the coronal direction. Reconstruction was performed with 3D computed tomographic angiography reconstruction software.

In the current study, 98 internal iliac arteries (IIAs) from 49 women were studied. The superior and inferior gluteal arteries were visualized in all cases (N = 98; 100%), the lateral sacral artery in 86 cases (88%), the iliolumbar artery in 84 (86%), the obturator artery in 81 (83%), the internal pudendal artery in 96 (98%), and the uterine artery in 95 (97%). The superior vesical and middle rectal arteries were seen in 21 (21%) and 11 (11%) cases, respectively. The mean length of the uterine artery was 12.56 cm (range, 4.6-22.2 cm), and it showed the longest traceable length among all branches. The uterine artery showed five patterns of origin. The superior gluteal artery showed constant origin from the posterior division of the IIA, whereas the iliolumbar and obturator arteries showed the most variations in origin.

Three-dimensional reconstructed CE MR angiography can detect most branches of the IIA in addition to their point of origin. Therefore, it can be used as a mapping tool of the pelvic arterial tree before UAE.