三维增强MRA与多普勒超声诊断颈部血管病变的对照分析

目的探讨三维增强MRA及彩色多普勒超声对颈部血管病变的诊断价值。方法32例有眩晕、恶心、颈部不适等症状的患者均经三维增强MRA及多普勒超声检查。结果32例的36处病变节段中,超声检出19处,3DCEMRA检出33处。结论三维增强MRA对颈部血管病变的诊断能力优于多普勒超声,而高质量的颈动脉MRA图像依赖注药后扫描时机的准确性,注药流速与总量的合理性,合适的扫描序列,以及操作者的技巧和熟练程度。     

透视触发并行采集高分辨率三维增强颈动脉磁共振血管成像术

目的评估透视触发和并行采集技术用于高分辨率三维增强颈动脉磁共振血管成像术(3DCEMRA)的可行性。方法80个临床诊断或怀疑颈动脉狭窄的病人接受3DCEMRA检查。使用透视触发软件触发启动颈动脉3DCEMRA扫描,同时采用K空间椭圆形中心填充法和加速因子为2的并行采集技术。对显示的各段动脉和有无静脉早期显影做分析。动脉狭窄分成动脉管壁不规则、轻度狭窄、严重狭窄和闭塞。颈动脉3DCEMRA的显示结果与其他检查结果做了对照。结果所有病例均顺利触发和完成颈动脉3DCEMRA检查。3DCEMRA显示了80例病人总共800支动脉段(100%显示率),所有病例在动脉显示区域内静脉均未显影或显影很淡,对诊断不构成影响。结果显示有680段动脉正常、41段动脉管壁不规则、24段动脉轻度狭窄、51段严重狭窄和4段闭塞。另外10段颈动脉狭窄处溃疡形成,12例患者除见颈动脉狭窄以外,还发现合并椎动脉和/或锁骨下动脉狭窄。36例病例,与其他血管成像技术作了比较,3DCEMRA的检查结果与之完全符合,未出现高估或低估血管狭窄程度。结论透视触发并行采集高分辨率3DCEMRA简单可行,成像时间短,空间分辨率高,能清楚显示颈动脉,它将在颈动脉狭窄的诊断中起重要作用。     

下腔静脉螺旋CT扫描方法初探

目的　探讨下腔静脉CT增强扫描 (CTA)方法和技巧。方法　使用PICKER60 0 0单螺旋CT扫描机 ,扫描层厚 3 .0～ 4.0mm ,螺距 1.2 5～ 1.5,间隔 1.5～ 2 .0mm ,应用Smooth功能对 12例病人进行下腔静脉CT增强扫描。结果　所有病例 10 0 %获得了满意的图像 ,经VOXEL工作站重建后 ,能够清楚显示下腔静脉正常解剖结构和阻塞的部位、范围及其阻塞程度。 12例经数字减影血管造影 (DSA)或 和手术对比证实的病例中 ,CTA显示病变的准确性是 91.67%。结论　高质量的下腔静脉CTA图像依赖于注药后扫描的时机准确性、扫描参数设置的合理性 ,正确的扫描方法以及操作者的技巧和熟练程度     

实时触发动态增强MR颈动脉成像的临床应用

目的:探讨实时触发三维动态增强MR颈动脉成像的方法及其临床应用价值。方法:采用实时触发(care-bolus)快速梯度回波序列对62例疑有颈动脉病变的患者进行三维动态增强MR颈动脉成像。原始图像经最大信号投影(MIP)处理,根据MRA图像对病变血管及正常血管的显示情况采用优、良、差3级,对MRA图像质量进行评价。结果:所有检查病例图像质量均达到优良,能清晰显示正常解剖血管结构及病变情况。62例中有33例发现血管病变,MRA结果与手术(n=10)、DSA(n=5)和/或多普勒超声(n=33)结果一致。结论:实时触发三维动态增强MR颈动脉成像能较好显示颈部血管情况,是一种简便易行、有效的颈部血管检查方法。     

肾动脉动态增强磁共振血管造影

目的　对肾动脉动态增强磁共振血管造影的诊断价值作一初步评估。方法　选择 18例疑有肾动脉疾病患者进行DCEMRA检查。 2 0mlGd -DTPA造影剂经肘静脉快速注射后 ,采用FSPGR序列在一次屏气时间内对肾动脉进行 1～ 2个序列冠状位信号采集 ,将所获得的原始图像输入工作站进行后处理 ,最终获得肾动脉MIP和MPVR重建图像。结果　 12例肾动脉DCEMRA与动脉造影对照 ,DSA显示 12条肾动脉正常 ,DCEMRA显示 11条正常 ,1条轻度狭窄 ;DSA显示 5条轻度狭窄 ,DCEMRA显示其中 4条轻度狭窄 ,1条重度狭窄 ;DSA显示 5条重度狭窄和 3条闭塞与DCEMRA显示结果一致。结论　肾动脉DCEMRA检查与动脉造影比较具有很好的一致性 ,能够比较准确地评价肾动脉狭窄性病变 ,尤其对重度狭窄和闭塞准确性较高     

快速屏气MRI技术对主动脉夹层的诊断价值

目的　评价真实稳态快速梯度回波 (trueFISP)和三维增强MR血管成像 (3DCEMRA)对主动脉夹层 (AD)及并发病变的诊断价值。方法　对连续 113例临床上可疑或初诊为AD的患者进行了前瞻性trueFISP和 3DCEMRA检查。 2位放射科医师彼此独立地分析全部MR图像 ,并与手术和其他影像学检查 (包括DSA、经食管超声、CT和常规MRI)结果进行对照。结果　 113例中经trueFISP和 3DCEMRA检查诊断为AD者 74例、胸主动脉瘤 15例、主动脉粥样硬化伴附壁血栓 5例和正常主动脉 19例。与手术和其他影像学结果比较分析 ,trueFISP和 3DCEMRA对AD诊断的敏感度和特异度分别为 98 6%和 10 0 0 % ,10 0 0 %和 10 0 0 %。 74例中 56例AD有内膜破口 ,1例内膜套叠 ,9例血栓闭塞性AD伴有溃疡样病变和 8例主动脉壁间血肿。 56例AD的 59个内膜破口中trueFISP显示 3 7个 (62 7% ) ,3DCEMRA显示 54个 (91 5% ) ,对内膜破口显示 3DCEMRA明显优于trueFISP(χ2 =13 88,P <0 0 1)。74例 3 4 5支主要分支血管中 ,2种MR技术总符合率为 84 3 % (2 91 3 4 5) ,3DCEMRA的阳性检出率为 2 9 3 % ,trueFISP为 2 2 0 %。结论　trueFISP和 3DCEMRA 2种快速屏气MR技术对AD的诊断是准确和可靠的 ,这 2种MR技术明显优于常规MRI ,尤其是对内膜破口和分支血管     

主动脉病变的三维增强磁共振血管造影分析

目的：探讨三维增强磁共振血管造影（3DCEMRA）技术在主动脉疾病中的应用价值。材料和方法：在83例3DCEMRA检查中，男性64例，女性19例，年龄平均58（29～84）岁。3DCEMRA主要参数为重复时间5ms，回波时间1．5ms，反转角50。。对比剂为钆-喷替酸萄甲胺（Gd-DTPA），剂量0．3mmol／kg，平均30ml。每次扫描时间为15s左右，不间断重复采集3次。图像重建采用最大信号强度投影和多层面重建。增强扫描前先行横断位FSE序列T1WI、T2WI，增强扫描后行横断位FSE T1 WI，可疑撕裂口处行Cine序列。重点观察主动脉有无动脉瘤、夹层、扩张或缩窄以及病变是否累及其分支。结果：83例主动脉及其主要分支均显示清晰，且达到诊断要求。其中动脉瘤32例、夹层动脉瘤37例、其他主动脉病变14例。结论：3DCEMRA可以很好地显示各种主动脉病变，帮助确定诊断。     

Test-bolus、K空间中心填充法及并行采集技术在颈部动脉3DCEMRA中的应用

目的 探讨Test-bolus法、K空间中心填充法及并行采集技术在颈部动脉三维对比增强磁共振血管成像(3DCEMRA)中的应用.资料与方法 对87例可疑颈部动脉病变的患者行3DCEMRA,步骤为:(1)确定扫描延迟时间:用Test-bolus法测量对比剂到达主动脉弓的峰值时间,扫描数据采用K空间中心填充法,得到扫描延迟时间=峰值时间.(2)用GRAPPA并行采集技术缩短扫描时间.(3)3DCEMRA扫描.(4)对图像用最大信号强度投影(MIP)法三维重组,将图像质量分为3个等级,Ⅰ级为动脉信号均匀,显影清晰,静脉几乎不显影;Ⅱ级为动脉信号均匀,显影清晰,静脉轻度显影(信号强度小于动脉信号);Ⅲ级为动脉信号不均匀,静脉明显显影(信号强度等于或高于动脉信号).评价图像质量及病变显示情况.结果 以2 ml/s的流率注射对比剂,到达主动脉弓的峰值时间为11～28 s,平均为19 s.87例患者颈动脉图像质量分级:Ⅰ级者82例(94.25%),Ⅱ级者5例(5.75%),Ⅲ级者0例.87例患者中15例(17.24%)显示颈部动脉无异常.72例(82.76%)共186个血管段有病变,其中动脉轻度狭窄占26.88%(50/186),中度狭窄占23.12%(43/186),重度狭窄占41.94%(78/186),椎动脉迂曲占1.61%(3/186).结论 利用Test-bolus技术、K空间中心填充法确定最佳扫描延迟时间,用并行采集技术缩短扫描时间,能获得高浓度、高分辨率、大范围的高质量颈动脉图像,对颈动脉疾病的诊断和治疗有重要意义.     

自动移床并行采集高分辨率下肢动脉磁共振血管成像术

目的初步评估并行采集高分辨率下肢动脉磁共振血管成像术对下肢动脉的显影和诊断效果。资料与方法80例接受高分辨率下肢动脉三维增强磁共振血管成像（3DCEMRA）检查。3DCEMRA共分3段采集，通过自动移床分段扫描。扫描覆盖腹主动脉中下段到小腿动脉分支。将显示的动脉分为23段进行分析。首先根据血管和管壁显示清晰度给每段动脉的显示质量评分，其次对3段扫描区域中有无静脉早期显影评分，然后分析血管病变，将其分成：动脉管壁不规则（管腔狭窄〈10％）；轻度狭窄（〈50％）；严重狭窄（≥50％）；闭塞和动脉瘤形成。7例下肢动脉3DCEMRA的显示结果与其他检查结果做了对照。结果所有病例均顺利完成下肢动脉3DCEMRA检查。下肢动脉3DCEMRA显示了80例患者总共1840支动脉段（100％显示率），平均显示等级为3．78。所有病例3个扫描段内静脉均未显影或显影很淡，不影响诊断，平均等级为0．25。本组结果显示了1458段动脉病变，包括608段动脉管壁不规则；498段动脉轻度狭窄；312段严重狭窄；38段闭塞；2段腹主动脉下段动脉瘤形成。69例下肢动脉闭塞症（PAOD）患者中发现有19例同时伴有肾动脉狭窄。3DCEMRA还能显示搭桥血管是否通畅。下肢动脉3DCEMRA的检查结果与其他血管成像技术完全符合。结论并行采集高分辨率下肢动脉3DCEMRA扫描范围大，成像时间短，空间分辨率高，能清楚显示下肢动脉及分支，它能在下肢动脉病变的诊断中起重要作用。     

对比剂密度监控智能扫描技术在椎动脉及颈动脉CT血管成像中的应用

目的优化椎、颈动脉螺旋cT血管成像（SCTA）增强时相，研究增强扫描最佳触发时间和扫描方法，提高椎、颈动脉的三维显示率。方法在对比剂密度监控智能扫描（SmartPrep）组133例椎、颈动脉（87例椎动脉、46例颈动脉）SCTA检查中，于足背静脉团注350mgL／m1的碘海醇后，应用SmartPrep技术优化扫描时相、触发扫描序列完成数据采集，对照组113例同样采用足背静脉团注对比剂，以经验估计延迟18～22s后触发扫描，经图像重建和三维重组显示靶血管。结果所有SmartPrep组SCTA（133例，100％）均获成功，其增强时相处于最佳（130例）和较佳（3例）的扫描时期内，靶血管密度阈值在整个扫描周期[（18±4）s]内持续在100HU以上，而实际增强扫描的启动时间个体差异明显（15-43s），误差达28s。靶血管平均密度[（161．4±2．0）HU]明显高于对照组[（133．3±2．2）HU]，差异有统计学意义（t=-9.456，P〈0.01）。SmartPrep组显示满意率为97．74％（130／133），不满意率为2．26％（3／133），失败率为0。对照组显示满意率为76．11％（86／113），不满意率为22．12％（25／113）和失败率为1．77％（2／113）。结论智能扫描技术应用于对比剂密度的实时监控并及时触发增强扫描，能获得满意的增强时相。     

3.0T高分辨率CE-MRA对颈部血管狭窄的诊断价值

目的探讨三维对比增强磁共振血管成像(3D CE-MRA)在颈部动脉血管狭窄诊断中的临床应用价值。方法对23例临床拟诊颈部动脉血管狭窄行数字减影血管造影(DSA)的患者行颈部3D CE-MRA。将两种方法检查结果进行相关性比较。结果 23例患者共230个节段血管,3D CE-MRA显示了227个节段,共诊断出74处(32.6%)狭窄,其中28处轻度狭窄,22处中度狭窄,20处重度狭窄,4处闭塞;DSA共显示了230个节段的血管,共诊断出69处(30.4%)血管狭窄,其中24处轻度狭窄,23处中度狭窄,19处重度狭窄,3处闭塞。与DSA相比,3DCE-MRA对颈部动脉轻度、中度、重度狭窄及动脉闭塞的显示敏感性均为100%,特异性分别为85.71%、90.91%、90%和75%,两种检查方法对颈部动脉狭窄程度的判断有良好的一致性(κ=0.921,P=0.000)。结论 3.0T 3DCE-MRA能够可靠的评价颈部动脉狭窄性病变,基本可以替代DSA检查。     

Contrast-enhanced MR angiography of the carotid and vertebrobasilar circulations

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Contrast-enhanced MR angiography (CE MRA) is a proven diagnostic tool in evaluation of the carotid arteries; however, few studies have addressed its accuracy in the vertebrobasilar system. The purpose of this study was to assess the sensitivity and specificity of CE MRA compared with digital subtraction angiography (DSA) for detection of vertebrobasilar disease. METHODS: Forty patients with suspected atherosclerotic disease of the carotid and vertebrobasilar circulations underwent CE MRA on a 1.5 T MR imaging scanner by use of a coronal 3D gradient-echo pulse sequence after intravenous injection of gadolinium diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid. All patients had correlative DSA within a 1-month period. CE MRA images were randomized and then independently assessed by 2 observers who were blinded to the DSA results. DSA examinations were analyzed in a similar manner. Each observer was asked to report the presence or absence of clinically significant stenosis (>50%), occlusion, fistula, aneurysm, and dissection. The MRA findings were then correlated with DSA. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of MRA for detection of disease in the entire carotid and vertebrobasilar systems were 90% and 97%, respectively; for the carotid system alone, the sensitivity and specificity were 94% and 97%, respectively; and for the vertebrobasilar system they were 88% and 98% respectively. The overall interobserver reliability was 98% (kappa = 0.92). CONCLUSION: CE MRA is accurate at detecting disease not only in the carotid vessels, but also in the vertebrobasilar circulation, and has the potential to provide a comprehensive and noninvasive evaluation of the head and neck arteries in a single study.     

肾动脉高分辨力三维增强磁共振血管成像术:透视触发和并行采集技术使用初探

目的:评估透视触发和并行采集技术用于肾动脉高分辨力三维增强磁共振血管成像术的可行性和对肾动脉的显影诊断效果。方法:90例临床诊断或怀疑肾动脉或腹主动脉病变的患者行高分辨力肾动脉三维增强磁共振血管成像(3D CE MRA)。使用透视触发软件启动肾动脉3D CE MRA扫描,扫描采用K空间中心填充法和加速因子为2的并行采集技术。分析图象质量和病变显示情况,并与其它检查结果对照。结果:肾动脉3D CE MRA显示了90例患者共810支动脉段(100%显示率),平均显示等级为3.88。3D CE MRA显示8例11支副肾动脉,显示等级均为4.0。肾动脉段级分支的显示率为73%(66/90例)。所有病例在动脉显示区静脉均未显影或显影很淡,平均等级为0.20。3D CE MRA发现639支动脉段正常;66支动脉段管壁不规则;55支动脉段轻度狭窄;37支动脉段严重狭窄;2支动脉段闭塞;11支动脉段动脉瘤形成。其中96支肾动脉存在狭窄,11支副肾动脉均正常。共有43例病例,肾动脉3D CE MRA与其它血管成像技术作了比较,3D CE MRA的检查结果与之完全符合。结论:透视触发并行采集肾动脉高分辨力3D CE MRA简单可行,成像时间短,空间分辨力高,能清楚显示肾动脉且无静脉污染。     

Actual role of unenhanced magnetic resonance angiography (mra tof 3d) in the study of stenosis and occlusion of extracranial carotid artery

PURPOSE: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of MRA (3D TOF) in comparison to contrast-enhanced MRA using DSA as the gold standard in the study of steno-occlusive disease of the internal carotid artery, in order to determine if this technique still has a diagnostic value. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three radiologists blindly and independently evaluated either the unenhanced MRA, CE MRA, or DSA images of 23 consecutive patients, assessing the stenosis based on a NASCET five-class classification. RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of CE MRA and unenhanced MRA were 100% and 100%, 100% and 95.5% and 100% and 93.2%, respectively. These differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Unenhanced MRA should be still considered a valid alternative for studying the extracranial section of the internal carotid arteries especially in patients who refuse or whose laboratory results exclude the use of contrast medium or in patients in whom continuous monitoring of a clinical condition is required but a repeated and/or frequent use of contrast medium is not possible.     

Comparison of image quality, diagnostic confidence and interobserver variability in contrast enhanced MR angiography and 2D time of flight angiography in evaluation of carotid stenosis

The aim of this study was to compare image quality, level of diagnostic confidence and interobserver agreement in assessment of carotid stenosis with contrast enhanced MR angiography (CE MRA) in comparison with 2D time of flight MR angiography (2D TOF MRA). 60 carotid arteries in 30 patients were examined by three observers. Image quality and diagnostic confidence were assessed on the basis of a visual analogue scale. Interobserver variability was assessed with the help of intraclass correlation coefficient. Median values on the visual analogue scale for image quality and diagnostic confidence were higher for CE MRA compared with 2D TOF MRA for all three observers. Higher intraclass correlation values were recorded for interobserver variability for CE MRA compared with 2D TOF MRA both for visual estimation of carotid stenosis as well as for measurement of carotid stenosis on the basis of North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial (NASCET) and European Carotid Surgery Trial (ECST) criteria. CE MRA provides better image quality, higher level of diagnostic confidence and more interobserver agreement compared with 2D TOF MRA.     

肾动脉狭窄的三维增强磁共振血管成像诊断

目的:评价高分辨力三维增强磁共振血管成像术(3DCEMRA)对肾动脉狭窄的显示准确性。方法:对30例临床诊断或怀疑肾动脉狭窄患者进行高分辨力肾动脉3DCEMRA检查,分析所有患者的肾动脉和副肾动脉显示质量和病变显示情况,并与DSA做对照。结果:3DCEMRA显示了30例患者总共59支肾动脉主干(1例为单支移植肾动脉),显示率为100%。3DCEMRA显示4支副肾动脉,显示率100%。肾动脉段级分支的显示率为49%。所有病例在动脉显示区域内静脉均未显影或显影淡,对诊断不构成影响。DSA共显示59支肾动脉主干和4支副肾动脉(以63支计算),59支主干中2支闭塞,8支重度狭窄,11支中度狭窄,10支轻度狭窄,28支肾动脉主干和4支副肾动脉都正常。3DCEMRA除把2支轻度狭窄估为中度狭窄,1支中度狭窄估为重度狭窄外,其它结果都同DSA一致,故3DCEMRA显示肾动脉主干和副肾动脉狭窄程度超过50%的有血液动力学意义的明显狭窄的敏感性和特异性分别为100%和95%,阳性预测值为91%,阴性预测值为100%。结论:高分辨力肾动脉3DCEMRA能准确检出肾动脉主干和副肾动脉狭窄,并能较好判断其狭窄程度。     

Carotid artery stenosis: contrast-enhanced MR angiography with two different scan times compared with digital subtraction angiography

Contrast enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE MRA) is a non-invasive alternative to conventional digital subtraction angiography (DSA). CE MRA is increasingly used as a complement to Duplex in the preoperative assessment of carotid artery stenosis. The purpose of this study was to determine if CE MRA could replace preoperative DSA. CE MRA with a scan time of 10 or 28 s was performed in 24 consecutive patients who were scheduled for preoperative DSA because of Duplex-verified severe carotid artery stenosis. Two neuroradiologists measured the degree of stenosis with three different methods, and the image quality was evaluated. DSA was used as the gold standard. For detection of severe stenosis (N. American symptomatic carotid endarterectomy trial (NASCET) > or =70%; European symptomatic carotid endarterectomy trial (ECST) > or =80%; common carotid artery method (CCAM) > or =80%), the sensitivity of CE MRA maximum intensity projection (MIP) compared with DSA was 82%-100 %, the specificity was 74%-93% and the accuracy was 77%-90%. The inter-observer agreement was higher, the image quality was better and the intracranial main arteries were better visualized with the 28 s than with the 10 s scan time. The enhancement of the jugular veins seen in 17% of the 10 s scans and in 58% of the patients with the 28 s scans did not interfere with the evaluation of the carotid arteries. CE MRA, preferably with a scan time of 28 s, can replace DSA in the preoperative assessment of most patients with carotid artery stenosis.     

Postoperative assessment of extracranial-intracranial bypass by time-resolved 3D contrast-enhanced MR angiography using parallel imaging

PURPOSE: Our goals were to assess image quality of time-resolved contrast-enhanced MR angiography (CE MRA), by using 3D data acquisition along with a parallel imaging technique that can improve temporal resolution and to compare this technique with 3D-time-of-flight (TOF) MRA in the postoperative assessment of extracranial (EC)-intracranial (IC) bypass surgery. METHODS: On a 1.5T imaging system, we performed CE MRA by using a 3D fast field-echo sequence in combination with a parallel imaging technique, to obtain images in the coronal plane centered at the postoperative site. Our patient group comprised 17 patients, including 13 after superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery (MCA) anastomosis, 3 after external carotid artery-MCA anastomosis, and one after extracranial vertebral artery-posterior cerebral artery anastomosis. Visualization of the anastomosis and the distal flow on the CE-MRA images was assessed comparatively with that on 3D-TOF MR angiograms obtained at the same time. In 6 patients, we also compared the efficiency of visualization on CE-MRA images with that on conventional angiograms. RESULTS: A temporal resolution of 0.8 s/frame could be achieved with the technique employed. The bypass was better demonstrated postoperatively on CE-MRA images than on 3D-TOF MR angiograms in 13 patients (76%), whereas the 2 methods were equivalent in 4 patients (24%). Good correspondence of results was observed in the 6 patients for whom CE MRA and conventional digital subtraction angiography (DSA) images were compared. CONCLUSION: CE MRA by using the parallel imaging technique can increase image acquisition speed with sufficient image quality. This technique is at least equivalent to 3D-TOF MRA to evaluate the postoperative status of EC-IC bypass.     

Noncontrast MR angiography for comprehensive assessment of abdominopelvic arteries using quadruple inversion-recovery preconditioning and 3D balanced steady-state free precession imaging

Purpose:

To develop a noncontrast magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) method for comprehensive evaluation of abdominopelvic arteries in a single 3D acquisition.

Materials and Methods:

A noncontrast MRA (NC MRA) pulse sequence was developed using four inversion‐recovery (IR) pulses and 3D balanced steady‐state free precession (b‐SSFP) readout to provide arterial imaging from renal to external iliac arteries. Respiratory triggered, high spatial resolution (1.3 × 1.3 × 1.7 mm³) noncontrast angiograms were obtained in seven volunteers and ten patients referred for gadolinium‐enhanced MRA (CE MRA). Images were assessed for diagnostic quality by two radiologists. Quantitative measurements of arterial signal contrast were also performed.

Results:

NC MRA imaging was successfully completed in all subjects in 7.0 ± 2.3 minutes. In controls, image quality of NC MRA averaged 2.79 ± 0.39 on a scale of 0–3, where 3 is maximum. Image quality of NC MRA (2.65 ± 0.41) was comparable to that of CE MRA (2.9 ± 0.32) in all patients. Contrast ratio measurements in patients demonstrated that NC MRA provides arterial contrast comparable to source CE MRA images with adequate venous and excellent background tissue suppression.

Conclusion:

The proposed noncontrast MRA pulse sequence provides high‐quality visualization of abdominopelvic arteries within clinically feasible scan times. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2011;33:1430–1439. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.