Mediastinal vessels: postoperative evaluation with MR imaging

The mediastinal vessels in 27 patients who had previously undergone vascular surgery were evaluated with use of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for patency and the presence of stenosis. Thirty-six postoperative vessels or shunts were studied, including 11 aortas after coarctation or stenosis repair, 18 systemic-pulmonary shunts, four pulmonary artery or vein repairs, and three spiral vein grafts. Angiographic (n = 21), direct surgical (n = 1), contrast material-enhanced computed tomography (n = 1), or clinical (n = 13) findings were correlated with the MR findings. Overall, the accuracy of MR imaging for determination of patency was 100%. In patients with angiographic correlation and technically adequate MR examinations, MR imaging results were used to identify or exclude stenoses correctly in 66.7% of patent vessels. The four missed or underestimated stenoses occurred in vessels 10 mm or less in diameter.