[MR angiography using Gd-DTPA in staging of abdominal aortic aneurysm: a correlation with DSA and CT]

To evaluate a contrast-enhanced (CE) MRA sequence for staging AAA.

In 24 patients (male = 20, female = 4, age = 44-81 y) with known AAA the abdominal aorta and its branches including the iliac arteries were imaged, using a 3D GRE-FISP sequence (1.5 T, TR/TE/FA = 25/6/35, slab = 100-140 mm, 32 part., FOV = 440-450 mm, matrix = 256 x 256) during an i.v. infusion of 40 ml of gadopentate dimeglumine. In addition, representative axial single slices (2D breath hold FLASH-sequence. TR/TE/FA = 82/5/30) were acquired following contrast application. MR-results were correlated with i.a. DSA and CT studies.

With CE-MRA, AAA (n = 24) and iliac aneurysms (n = 17) could be evaluated in all cases (sens. = 100%, spec. = 100%) including luminal patency and mural thrombus. 50/54 renal arteries could be identified, 4/6 accessory renal arteries (sens. = 66.6%, spec. = 100%), 8/9 renal artery stenoses > 50% (sens. = 88.8%, spec. = 89.3%), 1/1 renal artery occlusion and 7/8 iliac artery stenoses > 50% (sens. = 87.5%, spec. = 97.5%) were depicted correctly. Proximal portion of sup. mes. art. could be detected and evaluated in 21/24 cases. Quantitative determination of therapeutically relevant vascular parameters using MRA was comparable to DSA and CT.

CE-MRA is a useful method for staging of AAA and may become the method of choice when ultrafast MR techniques are used.