MR angiography fusion technique for treatment planning of intracranial arteriovenous malformations

PURPOSE: To develop an image fusion technique using elliptical centric contrast-enhanced (CE) MR angiography (MRA) and three-dimensional (3D) time-of-flight (TOF) acquisitions for radiosurgery treatment planning of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: CE and 3D-TOF MR angiograms with disparate in-plane fields of view (FOVs) were acquired, followed by k-space reformatting to provide equal voxel dimensions. Spatial domain addition was performed to provide a third, fused data volume. Spatial distortion was evaluated on an MRA phantom and provided slice-dependent and global distortion along the three physical dimensions of the MR scanner. In vivo validation was performed on 10 patients with intracranial AVMs prior to their conventional angiogram on the day of gamma knife radiosurgery. RESULTS: Spatial distortion in the phantom within a volume of 14 x 14 x 3.2 cm(3) was less than +/-1 mm (+/-1 standard deviation (SD)) for CE and 3D-TOF data sets. Fused data volumes were successfully generated for all 10 patients. CONCLUSION: Image fusion can be used to obtain high-resolution CE-MRA images of intracranial AVMs while keeping the fiducial markers needed for gamma knife radiosurgery planning. The spatial fidelity of these data is within the tolerance acceptable for daily quality control (QC) purposes and gamma knife treatment planning.     

Follow-up of coiled intracranial aneurysms: comparison of 3D time-of-flight and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography at 3T in a large, prospective series

Objectives

To compare 3D-TOF magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and contrast-enhanced MRA (CE-MRA) sequences at 3T in the follow-up of coiled aneurysms with digital subtracted angiography (DSA) as the gold standard.

Methods

DSA, 3D-TOF and CE-MRA were performed in a prospective series of 126 aneurysms in 96 patients (57 female, 39 male; age: 25–75 years, mean: 51.3?±?11.3 years). The quality of aneurysm occlusion was assessed independently and anonymously by a core laboratory.

Results

Using DSA (gold standard technique), total occlusion was depicted in 57 aneurysms (45.2%), neck remnant in 34 aneurysms (27.0%) and aneurysm remnant in 35 aneurysms (27.8%). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were very similar with 3D-TOF and CE-MRA. Visibility of coils was much better with 3D-TOF (95.2%) than with CE-MRA (23.0%) (P?P?=?0.012).

Conclusions

In this large prospective series of patients with coiled aneurysms, at 3T 3D-TOF MRA was equivalent to CE-MRA for the evaluation of aneurysm occlusion, but coil visibility was superior at 3D-TOF. Thus the use of 3D-TOF at 3T is recommended for the follow-up of coiled intracranial aneurysms.

Key Points

? Different Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging techniques are used to evaluate intracranial aneurysms. ? At 3T MR, 3D-TOF and CE-MRA appear equivalent for evaluating coiled aneurysms.. ? Coils are better visualised on 3D-TOF than on CE-MRA. ? Combined analysis of 3D-TOF and CE-MRA does not seem helpful. ? At 3T, 3D-TOF techniques are recommended for monitoring patients with coiled aneurysms.     

Evaluation of carotid artery stenosis with multisection CT and MR imaging: influence of imaging modality and postprocessing

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We prospectively evaluated the influence of different imaging techniques (time-of-flight MR angiography [TOF-MRA], contrast-enhanced MR angiography [CE-MRA], multisection CT angiography [CTA]) and postprocessing methods (maximum intensity projection [MIP], multiplanar reformation [MPR]) on carotid artery stenosis grading. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty patients (34 men, 16 women) with symptomatic stenosis of the internal carotid artery were examined with a 16-section spiral CT and a 1.5T MR unit. Two MRA techniques were applied: 3D-TOF and CE-MRA. MPR was used for postprocessing with all modalities; MIP was used only with MRA. Four readers measured and calculated the percentage diameter stenosis independently according to NASCET criteria. The Wilcoxon test was used to measure interobserver variability, and the Friedman test was used to test the null-hypothesis of equality of the modalities. RESULTS: The hypothesis for global equality was rejected (P < .001). TOF-MRA and CTA assessed with MPR showed the highest concordance (difference, 0.6%; confidence interval [CI], -3.0, 4.3%), and CE-MRA with MIP and CTA showed the lowest concordance in stenosis grading (difference, 7.0%; CI, 3.4, 10.6%). MPR resulted in lower degrees of stenosis than MIP for both MRA sequences, although not statistically significant (CE, -3.0%; CI, -6.6, 0.6%; TOF, -2.2%; CI, -5.8, 1.4%). When only studies with good or excellent image quality were considered, the differences decreased, but the trends remained. CONCLUSION: Stenosis grading is dependent on the examination method and postprocessing technique. CTA and TOF-MRA evaluated with MPR revealed highest concordance.     

Contrast-enhanced peripheral MRA: technique and contrast agents

In the last decade contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA) has gained wide acceptance as a valuable tool in the diagnostic work-up of patients with peripheral arterial disease. This review presents current concepts in peripheral CE-MRA with emphasis on MRI technique and contrast agents. Peripheral CE-MRA is defined as an MR angiogram of the arteries from the aortic bifurcation to the feet. Advantages of CE-MRA include minimal invasiveness and lack of ionizing radiation. The basic technique employed for peripheral CE-MRA is the bolus-chase method. With this method a paramagnetic MRI contrast agent is injected intravenously and T1-weighted images are acquired in the subsequent arterial first-pass phase. In order to achieve high quality MR angiograms without interfering venous contamination or artifacts, a number of factors need to be taken into account. This includes magnetic field strength of the MRI system, receiver coil configuration, use of parallel imaging, contrast bolus timing technique, and k-space filling strategies. Furthermore, it is possible to optimize peripheral CE-MRA using venous compression techniques, hybrid scan protocols, time-resolved imaging, and steady-state MRA. Gadolinium(Gd)-based contrast agents are used for CE-MRA of the peripheral arteries. Extracellular Gd agents have a pharmacokinetic profile similar to iodinated contrast media. Accordingly, these agents are employed for first-pass MRA. Blood-pool Gd-based agents are characterized by prolonged intravascular stay, due to macromolecular structure or protein binding. These agents can be used for first-pass, as well as steady-state MRA. Some Gd-based contrast agents with low thermodynamic stability have been linked to development of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis in patients with severe renal insufficiency. Using optimized technique and a stable MRI contrast agent, peripheral CE-MRA is a safe procedure with diagnostic accuracy close to that of conventional catheter X-ray angiography.     

磁共振B-TFE技术肾动脉成像与CE-MRA对照

目的：探讨磁共振三维平衡式快速场梯度回波（B-TFE）技术非对比剂血管成像在肾动脉成像中的临床应用价值。方法：选择17例临床怀疑有肾动脉狭窄的患者行B-TFE和CE-MRA检查;B-TFE组并行采集加速因子取值为1和2。B-TFE组在横轴面图像上测量双侧肾动脉在不同加速因子时的信号噪声比（SNR）、肾动脉与肾周脂肪的对比噪声比（CNR）,CE-MRA组在冠状面图像上分别测量肾动脉的SNR和CNR。所有原始数据经三维MIP重组后由两位放射科医师对肾动脉三维图像质量、肾动脉狭窄程度、肾动脉分支显示及肾静脉伪影等情况进行评分。测量数据和图像评分进行统计学处理。结果：B-TFE组加速因子为1时图像的SNR为118.0±25.1（左）和105.9±29.1（右）,CNR为103.7±33.5（左）和93.1±26.5（右）;B-TFE组加速因子为2时SNR为93.5±23.1（左）和81.5±31.7（右）,CNR为83.1±34.5（左）和69.8±28.8（右）。CE-MRA组肾动脉的SNR为103.8±31.5（左）和93.1±40.8（右）,CNR为88.7±30.1（左）和79.7±38.6（右）。组内和组间SNR及CNR差异均无统计学意义（P〉0.05）。B-TFE图像上肾动脉分支的显示情况好、肾静脉伪影较CE-MRA小,2组间肾动脉三维图像质量、狭窄程度的显示无明显差异。结论：3DB-TFE肾动脉成像技术具有较高的图像信噪比和对比噪声比,可以作为一种新的无创性磁共振血管成像技术应用于肾动脉成像。     

磁共振血管成像在脑血管病中的诊断价值

目的:探讨三维时间飞跃法MR血管成像(3D TOF MRA)和三维增强MR血管造影(3D CE-MRA)检查技术,评价两种方法对脑血管病的诊断价值。方法:磁共振血管成像检查150例,全部行3D TOF MRA检查;9例进行3D CE-MRA检查,钆对比剂(Gd-DTPA)0.2mmol/kg,注射流率3ml/s,增强前、增强后动脉期及静脉期3次扫描;所有MRA图像进行三维重建,同期12例行DSA检查。常规MRI包括横断面T1WI、T2WI,矢状面T1WI。结果:56例中颅内血管显示正常56例,颅内动脉狭窄或闭塞者46例,颅内动脉瘤22例,颅内动静脉畸形21例,颈内动脉海绵窦瘘3例,烟雾病(moyamoya dis-ease)2例。结论:3D TOF MRA和3D CE-MRA是无创、快速、有效的检查技术,对诊断脑血管病有较高的价值,结合原始图像和常规MRI检查,一次检查即能为临床提供较为全面的信息,可作为脑血管病的筛选和首选诊断方法。     

Comparing different MR angiography strategies of carotid stents in a vascular flow model: toward stent-specific recommendations in MR follow-up

Introduction  

Carotid artery stenting (CAS) requires adequate follow-up imaging to assess complications such as in-stent stenosis or occlusion. Options include digital subtraction angiography, CT angiography, ultrasound, and MR angiography (MRA), which may offer a non-invasive option for CAS follow-up imaging. The aim of this study was to assess contrast-enhanced MRA (CE-MRA) and three-dimensional time-of-flight MRA (3D-TOF) for visualization of the in-stent lumen in different carotid stents.     

Utilizing SENSE to achieve lower station sub-millimeter isotropic resolution and minimal venous enhancement in peripheral MR angiography

PURPOSE: To use the parallel imaging technique, sensitivity encoding (SENSE), to increase spatial resolution and decrease venous contamination in peripheral magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Moving table, single-bolus peripheral contrast-enhanced (CE) -MRA was performed on nine patients. Manual table movement combined with SENSE in the upper station allowed for more rapid overall scan coverage such that acquisition of the lower station began 34 seconds after aortic contrast arrival. True sub- millimeter isotropic resolution was achieved in the lower station. RESULTS: Diagnostic MR angiograms of all three stations were obtained in all nine patients. Venous enhancement did not confound interpretation in any case. Sub-millimeter lower station resolution provided excellent vascular detail. CONCLUSION: Decreased delay time between upper and lower station acquisition in single bolus peripheral MR angiograms, now possible using parallel imaging techniques, combined with lower station sub-millimeter resolution may decrease venous contamination and increase overall interpretability, thus increasing clinical acceptance of peripheral MRA.     

Gadolinium-enhanced off-resonance contrast angiography.

We describe a novel physical basis and methodology for gadolinium (Gd)-enhanced MRA, which we call "off-resonance contrast angiography" (ORCA). Unlike standard contrast-enhanced (CE) MR angiography (MRA), ORCA contrast depends not on T(1) but on Gd-induced shifts in intravascular resonance frequency due to the bulk magnetic susceptibility (BMS) effects of Gd. The method was tested at 3 Tesla in phantoms with a range of dilutions of Gd-DTPA and ultrasmall iron oxide contrast agent (CA). With the use of ORCA, complete background suppression was obtained without image subtraction. As a result, catheters filled with various Gd dilutions proved to be highly conspicuous in ORCA projection images. This feature may make ORCA particularly attractive for passive catheter tracking during MR-guided endovascular procedures. Gd-induced intravascular frequency shifts were measured in human subjects and found to be in the expected range. ORCA was used to create angiograms of forearm veins that were comparable in quality to standard CE-MRA. In addition, ORCA images of the extracranial carotid bifurcation were successfully acquired during intravenous contrast administration. However, significant technical restrictions also exist, including a dependence on vessel orientation with respect to B(0), and sensitivity to static field inhomogeneities. Further study is needed to determine the practicality and potential clinical utility of this method.     

连续三维时飞法磁共振血管成像对脑动脉的显示能力评价

目的评价连续3D-TOF和高速度编码的三维相位对比法(Venc3D-PC)MRA对脑动脉的显示能力。方法前瞻性选取脑MRI表现正常且连续3D-TOF及高Venc3D-PC磁共振脑动脉成像表现正常者15例,用以评价2种MRA技术显示脑动脉的差异。回顾性选取进行脑动脉MRA及DSA2种检查者43例,以DSA为标准,取其中38侧表现正常者用以评价MRA显示脑动脉的能力。结果3D-TOF与高Venc3D-PC技术显示ACA、MCA或PCA的最大级数均无显著统计学差异,但前者的图像质量优于后者。MRA显示ACA、MCA和PCA的分支级数与DSA均有显著差异性。MRA对ACA和MCA的显示能力均较DSA减少1个级别,对PCA的显示能力差别不大。结论连续3D-TOFMRA对脑动脉的显示能力小于DSA,但已能满足大多数脑血管疾病的临床应用。     

The role of time-resolved 3D contrast-enhanced MR angiography in the assessment and grading of cerebral arteriovenous malformations

Purpose

To assess the role of three-dimensional (3D) contrast-enhanced, time-resolved MR angiography (CE TR MRA) in patients with intracranial arteriovenous malformations (AVMs).

Methods

We studied 12 patient with intracranial AVMs on a 3.0 T MR imaging system (Magentom TIM Trio, Siemens Medical Solutions, Erlangen, Germany) using 3D CE TR MRA with autocalibrating partially parallel acquisitions and echo sharing schemes, which provided temporal resolution of 0.58 or 1.7 s and near isotropic voxels. We qualitatively assessed image quality of the 3D CE TR MRA and compared the grading of the AVMs based on modified Spetzler-Martin system for 3D CE TR MRA and catheter digital subtraction angiography (DSA).

Results

CE TR MRA provided good quality images in the 3 standard orthogonal planes, and good arterial-venous separation in all cases. All AVMs were correctly graded by CE TR MRA when compared with DSA.3D CE TR MRA provides a non-invasive alternative to DSA for the evaluation of cerebral AVMs.     

Follow-up of intracranial aneurysms selectively treated with coils: Prospective evaluation of contrast-enhanced MR angiography

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility and usefulness of contrast-enhanced MR angiography (CE-MRA) for the follow-up of intracranial aneurysms treated with detachable coils, by comparing CE-MRA with digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and 3D time-of- flight (TOF) MRA. METHODS: Thirty-two patients with 42 treated aneurysms were included in the study; 6 had been treated for multiple aneurysms. All MRAs were performed with a 1.5T unit within 48 hours of DSA. We performed 2 types of acquisition: a 3D TOF sequence and CE-MRA. Twenty-eight patients were included 1 year after endovascular treatment, and 4 patients, after 3 years or more. DSA was the technique of reference for the detection of a residual neck or residual aneurysm. RESULTS: Compared with DSA, the sensitivity of MRA was good. For the detection of residual neck, there was no significant difference between the results of 3D TOF MRA (sensitivity, 75%-87.5%; specificity, 92.9%, according to both readers) and CE-MRA (sensitivity, 75%-82.1%; specificity, 85.7%-92.9%). For the detection of residual aneurysm, sensitivity and specificity of both techniques were the same, respectively 80%-100% and 97.3%-100%. Therefore, CE-MRA was not better than 3D TOF MRA for the detection of residual neck or residual aneurysm. For large treated aneurysms, there was no difference between decisions regarding further therapy after CE and 3D TOF MRA, even though CE-MRA with a short echotime and enhancement gave fewer artifacts and better visualization of recanalization than 3D TOF MRA. The interpretation of transverse source images and the detection of coil mesh packing seemed easier with 3D TOF imaging. CONCLUSION: This prospective study did not show that CE-MRA was significantly better than 3D TOF MRA for depicting aneurysm or neck remnants after selective endovascular treatment using coils. For aneurysms treated with coils, 3D TOF MRA seems a valid and useful technique for the follow-up of coiled aneurysms.     

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。     

Contrast enhanced MR angiography with parallel imaging in the early period after renal transplantation

Purpose

To evaluate renal allograft vessels in the early period after kidney transplantation with three‐dimensional (3D) contrast‐enhanced MR angiography (3D CE MRA) using a parallel imaging technique.

Materials and Methods

Sixty‐three consecutive patients were examined with 3D CE MRA and integrated SENSE technique (Sensitivity Encoding) 2 to 21 days after renal transplantation. MR angiography studies were analyzed for the presence of arterial stenosis. The degree of renal transplant artery stenosis was graded qualitatively as <50% = mild, 50–70% = moderate, 70–99% = severe, and occlusion. Four patients (6.3%) with moderate (n = 1) or severe (n = 3) arterial stenoses on CE MRA underwent selective intra‐arterial digital subtraction angiography. In two patients, selective intravenous digital subtraction angiography (DSA) was performed.

Results

Twenty‐seven (42.9%) of the 63 patients had normal CE MR angiograms, 29 (46%) showed mild, 3 patients (4.8%) moderate, and 4 patients (6.3%) severe stenoses of the donor artery. In three patients, the severe stenosis of the graft artery was confirmed by surgery or intra‐arterial DSA. One patient with suspicion of severe arterial stenosis on MRA had moderate vessel narrowing on DSA. Twelve months after kidney transplantation, serum creatinine levels were not significantly different in patients with mild and moderate stenoses from those without (P > 0.19) but significantly different from those with severe stenoses (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

The incidence of mild and moderate vessel narrowing at the arterial anastomosis is unexpectedly high in the early period after kidney transplantation and is most likely due to surgery‐related tissue edema. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2009;29:909–916. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Contrast-enhanced MR angiography of intracranial giant aneurysms

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Intravoxel phase dispersion and flow saturation often prevent adequate depiction of intracranial giant aneurysms on 3D time-of-flight (3D-TOF) MR angiography (MRA). Additional diagnostic difficulties may arise from T1 contamination artifact of an associated blood clot. Our aim was to assess whether contrast-enhanced MRA could improve the evaluation of giant aneurysms and to compare two different types of contrast-enhanced MRA. METHODS: We studied 11 aneurysms in 10 patients (age range, 31-77 years) with giant aneurysms of the anterior (n = 9) and posterior (n = 2) cerebral circulation by comparing 3D-TOF, first-pass dynamic contrast-enhanced MRA, and steady-state contrast-enhanced 3D-TOF sequences. Additional comparison with digital subtraction angiography (DSA) was performed in eight aneurysms. RESULTS: In nine of 11 aneurysms, 3D-TOF did not adequately show the lumen and exiting vessels. Contrast-enhanced 3D-TOF and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRA showed the aneurysm sac and exiting vessels in all of these cases. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRA showed a better intravascular contrast than did contrast-enhanced 3D-TOF, which led to better delineation of the aneurysms. T1 contamination artifact from intra- or extraluminal blood clot was evident on the 3D-TOF images in four cases. The artifact was less marked on the contrast-enhanced 3D-TOF image and was completely eliminated on the dynamic contrast-enhanced MRA image by subtraction of precontrast images. The diagnostic information provided by dynamic contrast-enhanced MRA was comparable to that provided by DSA. CONCLUSION: Precontrast 3D-TOF is inadequate for the assessment of giant cerebral aneurysms. Both contrast-enhanced 3D-TOF and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRA reliably show the aneurysm sac and connected vessels. Dynamic MRA provides a superior contrast between flow and background and eliminates T1 contamination artifact. It should therefore be considered as the MRA sequence of choice.     

Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography: Current status,theoretical limitations and future potential

Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) is a method for visualizing blood vessels non-invasively. Although blood vessels are routinely demonstrated on all MR images, the term specifically refers to images where blood vessels are highlighted at the expense of background (i.e. non-vascular) tissues. The earliest form of MRA, black-blood angiography met with little enthusiasm for blood vessel imaging in clinical practice but remains in widespread use for cardiac imaging. MRA became a clinical reality with the introduction of gradient-echo imaging, a technique that depicted blood vessels as bright. However, it was only with the introduction of contrast-enhanced MRA (CE-MRA), a technique that generates images with high spatial resolution, inherent high vascular contrast and short scan times that MRA truly came of age and challenged, and in many cases supplanted, X-ray angiography as the technique of choice. This paper highlights the strengths and limitations of CE-MRA and addresses technological advancements in scanner performance and contrast agents that address the remaining clinical limitations of the technique.     

Value of image subtraction in 3D gadolinium-enhanced MR angiography of the renal arteries

The objective of this study was to evaluate quantitatively and qualitatively the effect of image subtraction on the image quality of three-dimensional (3D) gadolinium-enhanced MR angiograms of the renal arteries. Breath-hold 3D gadolinium MR angiography (MRA) as well as conventional contrast angiography of the renal arteries was performed on 20 patients with suspected renovascular hypertension. MR angiograms were acquired before and during dynamic infusion of gadolinium-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA). Contrast-enhanced images were compared with images that had undergone voxel-by-voxel signal intensity subtraction of contrast-enhanced data from precontrast data. One false positive finding for significant renal artery stenosis was recorded with MRA using conventional angiography as the gold standard. Image subtraction did not alter the diagnosis at MRA in any case. The mean contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) was significantly higher (P < .05) on the subtraction MR angiograms compared to the nonsubtracted MR angiograms. There was no significant difference in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Qualitative analysis revealed a significant improvement in image quality after image subtraction with respect to visualization of the distal renal arteries. In conclusion, image subtraction improves the quality of renal MRA in terms of both CNR and visualization of the distal renal arteries.     

46例脑动静脉畸形的MRI和MRA分析

目的：探讨MRI和MRA检查在脑AVM临床诊断中的价值。方法：46例脑动静脉畸形作了常规MRI和MR血管造影,MRI采用SET1、T2加权成像,MRA采用三维时飞跃法。结果：MRI准确显示了46例AVM的瘤巢,11例可见亚急性出血灶,5例可见含铁血黄素沉积,23例病灶区组织软化或萎缩,4例有占位效应。3D-TOF RMA显示41例AVM供血动脉、23例引流静脉。5例加做增强3D-TOF及6例加做2D-TOF后,引流静脉显示明显改善。结论：MRI和MRA结合应用能对脑血管畸形作出较准确的诊断,为临床治疗提供所需的基本信息并对治疗效果作出客观的评价。     

Abnormal venous drainage in periventricular leukomalacia

Age-matched six control subjects and 14 selected paediatric patients with periventricular leukomalacia were prospectively studied by MR imaging, and MR angiography. MR angiograms were acquired utilizing either the three-dimensional phase-contrast (3D-PC) or the two-dimensional time-of-flight (2D-TOF) techniques, or both, in an axial slab centred to the centrum semiovale. Abnormal draining veins (slightly enlarged and long vessels with abnormal courses) were found in eight of 14 patients (57%). In five of these eight patients (62.5%) abnormal vessels were identified on conventional MR imaging (spin-echo, T2-weighted and flow sensitive images), while the 3D-PC or 2D-TOF angiograms demonstrated the abnormal vessels in all the patients (100%). Usually there was a single abnormal vessel at the region of interest. These vessels should not be misinterpreted as arteriovenous malformations or venous malformations.     

Retrograde flow in the dural sinuses detected by three-dimensional time-of-flight MR angiography

Introduction Retrograde flow in the left dural sinuses is sometimes detected by three-dimensional time-of-flight (3D-TOF) magnetic resonance (MR) angiography. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of this phenomenon and its characteristic features on 3D-TOF MR angiograms. Methods We retrospectively reviewed cranial MR angiography images of 1,078 patients examined at our institution. All images were obtained by the 3D-TOF technique with one of two 1.5-T scanners. Maximum intensity projection (MIP) images in the horizontal rotation view were displayed stereoscopically. We reviewed the source images, inferosuperior MIP images, and horizontal MIP images and identified retrograde flow in the dural sinuses. Results We found retrograde flow in the dural sinuses of 67 patients on the source images from 3D-TOF MR angiography; the incidence was 6.2%. In 47 of the 67 patients, retrograde flow was identified in the left inferior petrosal sinus, in 13, it was seen in the left sigmoid sinus, and in 6, it was seen in the left inferior petrosal and left sigmoid sinuses. The remaining patient had retrograde flow in the left inferior petrosal and left and right sigmoid sinuses. The mean age of the patients with retrograde flow was slightly greater than that of the patients without this phenomenon (70 years vs 63 years). Conclusion Retrograde flow in the dural sinuses frequently occurs on the left side in middle-aged and elderly patients during 3D-TOF MR angiography performed with the patient in the supine position. This phenomenon should not be misdiagnosed as a dural arteriovenous fistula. This article was presented as an electronic poster paper at the 31st Congress of the ESNR held in Geneva in September 2006.