Assessment of coronary artery patency after stent placement using magnetic resonance angiography

The ability to noninvasively assess the patency of coronary stents would represent a significant advance. We evaluated the safety and ability of two-dimensional coronary MR angiography in imaging stents and suggesting patency. Coronary MR angiography of 26 coronary stents (Palmaz-Schatz) was performed in 16 patients 39 to 73 years of age. Studies were performed between 2 and 4 months after stent placement. All patients were symptom free at the time of imaging. Coronary MR angiography was performed with a commercial 1.5-T MR imager using an electrocardiographically gated pulse sequence with breath-holding. Images were obtained in mid-diastole with and without fat suppression. Image artifacts caused by the metal in the stents were clearly visualized in all 26 stents (100% sensitivity for stent detection). Arterial flow signal was seen in the coronary artery or graft distal to the stent in 25 of 26 cases (96%). All patients, except for the one in which distal flow could not be seen, remained symptom free for >2 years. The distribution of stent locations was as follows: 10 in the right coronary artery (RCA), 10 in the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD), 2 in the left circumflex coronary artery, and 4 in saphenous vein grafts (SVGs) to RCA. One patient had 2 RCA and 2 LAD stents, one had 3 RCA and 1 LAD stents, one had 3 SVG stents, and two had double RCA stents. Coronary MR angiography is safe for noninvasive imaging of coronary stents, and in the proper clinical setting, it can be used to help suggest patency.