Postcontrast 3D-TOF-MR angiography of intracranial venous angiomas

The clinical value of three-dimensional time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography (3D-TOF-MRA) was assessed in 15 patients with intracranial venous angiomas (VAs), by comparing results thereof with those of postcontrast T1-weighted MR images (MRIs). All 15 VAs were identified both on the postcontrast MRIs and MRAs. The MRAs surpassed the MRIs in imaging entire structures, including the draining veins of the supratentorial VAs. For the infratentorial VAs, the MRAs and the MRIs were of equal value. Although the addition of MRA to the MRI procedure incurs more time and expense, the complete structure of the VA can thereby be identified three-dimensionally on MRA. Conventional angiography is apparently not required for the confirmation of a VA. Thus, it is concluded that MRA is very useful for diagnosing VAs.