Upper abdominal phase-contrast MR angiography: comparison of cine and non-cine techniques

To evaluate image quality, vessel conspicuity, and signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of four two-dimensional magnetic resonance (MR) phase-contrast techniques: cine phase-contrast with respiratory compensation (CPC-R), cine phase-contrast without respiratory compensation (CPC), phase-contrast with two signals acquired (PC-2), and phase-contrast with eight signals acquired (PC-8).

MR angiographic images of the portal vein were obtained in 14 patients.

Overall image quality was rated excellent in 10 of 14 patients (CPC-R), in one of 14 patients (CPC), in none of 14 patients (PC-2), and in one of 14 patients (PC-8). Views of 10 upper abdominal vessels were evaluated with each technique. The mean (+/- standard deviation) number of well-imaged vessels was 6 +/- 2 (CPC-R), 3 +/- 2 (CPC), 2 +/- 2 (PC-2), and 3 +/- 2 (PC-8). CPC-R images were significantly better in overall image quality and number of vessels seen (P < .01). Mean S/Ns were 10.8 +/- 3.4 (CPC-R), 6.8 +/- 2.7 (CPC), 4.5 +/- 1.7 (PC-2), and 6.4 +/- 2.1 (PC-8). S/N with CPC-R was significantly greater than with CPC, PC-2, or PC-8.

CPC-R provided consistently higher quality angiographic images than were obtained with the other sequences studied.