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Updated: Oct 15, 2025
Phase Contrast Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Rat Common Carotid Artery
Published on: September 5, 2018
Construction of super-rapid brain MRA using oblique transverse acquisition phase contrast angiography with tilted
Daisuke Oura1, Riku Ihara2, Eiichirou Myo2
1Otaru General Hospital, Otaru 047-0152, Japan; Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0812, Japan.
Abstract:
[Background] Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) is one of the most important sequences to estimate a cerebrovascular disease. We often encounter poor image quality due to slow arterial flow related to aging and motion artifact caused by disturbance of consciousness. We focused on phase contrast angiography (PCA) to overcome these difficulties. PCA can reduce scan time drastically by combining transverse acquisition and partial slab setting covering entire brain arteries. However, transverse acquisition in PCA has a large difference in signal intensity between proximal and distal vessels. Therefore, we apply tilted optimized non-saturated excitation (TONE) to improve image quality. [Purpose] The purpose of this study to investigate the usefulness of TONE for PCA. [Method] We estimated the efficacy of TONE in transverse acquisition PCA using measurement of signal intensity in arteries. We compared image quality among 1 min PCA with/without TONE and time-of flight (TOF)-MRA, by visual. [Result] TONE improved the signal inhomogeneity in entire brain arteries. PCA with TONE (5°-9°) demonstrated the highest image quality. [Conclusion] Oblique transverse acquisition PCA with TONE provides superior image quality compared with TOF with similar scan time. TONE improved image quality by the homogenizing signal intensity of vessels from proximal to distal in oblique transvers acquisition PCA. Our MRA can be performed in about 1 min and provides sufficient quality to estimate brain vessels.
Insights
Tilted Optimized Non-saturated Excitation (TONE) significantly enhances phase contrast angiography (PCA) for brain imaging. This technique improves image quality and signal homogeneity in cerebral arteries, enabling faster and more reliable cerebrovascular disease assessment.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Neuroscience
- Cardiovascular Research
Background:
- Cerebrovascular disease assessment relies heavily on Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA).
- Challenges in MRA include poor image quality from slow arterial flow and motion artifacts.
- Phase Contrast Angiography (PCA) offers reduced scan times but suffers from signal intensity differences in transverse acquisition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of Tilted Optimized Non-saturated Excitation (TONE) in improving PCA image quality.
- To evaluate TONE's ability to address signal inhomogeneity in transverse acquisition PCA.
- To compare the diagnostic utility of TONE-enhanced PCA with conventional Time-of-Flight MRA.
Main Methods:
- Utilized transverse acquisition PCA with and without TONE for brain artery imaging.
- Measured signal intensity in arteries to quantify TONE's effect on homogeneity.
- Visually compared image quality of 1-minute PCA (with/without TONE) against Time-of-Flight MRA.
Main Results:
- TONE effectively homogenized signal intensity across all brain arteries.
- PCA with TONE, particularly at 5°-9° obliquity, yielded the highest image quality.
- The TONE-enhanced PCA demonstrated superior image quality compared to Time-of-Flight MRA.
Conclusions:
- Oblique transverse acquisition PCA combined with TONE offers superior image quality over Time-of-Flight MRA within a similar scan time.
- TONE homogenizes signal intensity from proximal to distal vessels, significantly improving image quality.
- This 1-minute MRA technique provides sufficient quality for effective brain vessel assessment.
