Accuracy of Inflow Inversion Recovery (IFIR) for Upper Abdominal Arteries Evaluation: Comparison with...

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Medical Imaging
• Vascular Imaging

Background:

• Inflow-sensitive inversion recovery (IFIR) is an emerging technique for unenhanced magnetic resonance angiography (MRA).
• Accurate imaging of upper abdominal arteries is crucial for diagnosis and treatment planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the accuracy of IFIR-MRA in assessing upper abdominal arteries.
• To compare IFIR-MRA with standard MRA and computed tomography angiography (CTA).

Main Methods:

• Seventy patients undergoing upper abdominal MRI were included.
• IFIR-MRA was compared intra-individually with MRA (n=65) and CTA (n=44) using a qualitative 4-point scale.
• Assessed arteries included celiac trunk, hepatic arteries, left gastric, gastroduodenal, splenic, renal, and superior mesenteric arteries.

Main Results:

• IFIR-MRA demonstrated statistically significant higher qualitative ratings compared to standard MRA for all assessed arteries (p < 0.05).
• Acceptable intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were observed between IFIR-MRA and MRA for several key arteries.
• Significant correlations were found between IFIR-MRA and CTA for common-proper-left-right hepatic arteries and renal arteries.

Conclusions:

• IFIR-MRA provides superior image quality for most upper abdominal arteries compared to standard MRA.
• IFIR sequences may enhance the visualization of left and right hepatic artery branches.
• Routine integration of IFIR sequences in upper abdominal MRI is recommended.