Non-contrast-enhanced four-dimensional (4D) intracranial MR angiography: a feasibility study

T(1)-shortening contrast agents have been widely used in time-resolved magnetic resonance angiography. To match imaging data acquisition with the short time period of the first pass of contrast agent, temporal resolution and/or spatial resolution have to be compromised in many cases. In this study, a novel non-contrast-enhanced technique was developed for time-resolved magnetic resonance angiography. Alternating magnetization preparation was applied in two consecutive acquisitions of each measurement to eliminate the need for contrast media. Without the constraint of contrast media kinetics, temporal resolution is drastically improved from the order of a second as in conventional contrast-enhanced approach to tens of milliseconds (50.9 msec) in this study, without compromising spatial resolution. Initial results from volunteer studies demonstrate the feasibility of this method to depict anatomic structure and dynamic filling of main vessels in the head.