Suitability of 7 aortic stent-graft models for MRI-based surveillance.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics of commercially available stent-grafts used for abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. METHODS: Seven endovascular grafts (AneuRx, Lifepath, Talent, Excluder, Zenith, Quantum LP, and Ancure) were suspended in a water bath containing gadolinium and scanned using a 1.5-T clinical MRI scanner. Two different scan techniques (T(1)-weighted spoiled gradient echo and spin echo) based upon a clinical MRI endograft surveillance protocol were used for each stent-graft. The scans were evaluated for susceptibility artifacts and radiofrequency (RF) shielding and caging artifacts. RESULTS: For most endografts, the lumen and structures surrounding the endograft were well visualized. However, the ferromagnetic properties of the Zenith and Lifepath devices resulted in large susceptibly artifacts that obliterated the endograft lumen as well as adjacent structures. All fully supported grafts showed some amount of signal loss from the graft lumen caused by RF caging. For the Ancure graft, evaluation around the attachment sites might be problematic. CONCLUSIONS: An MRI-based surveillance protocol appears to be a viable option for the AneuRx, Talent, Excluder, and Quantum LP stent-grafts.