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Suboptimal contrast‐enhanced carotid MR angiography from the left brachiocephalic venous stasis
Author(s) -
Lee YoungJun,
Chung TaeSub,
Joo JinYang,
Chien Daisy,
Laub Gerhard
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of magnetic resonance imaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.563
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1522-2586
pISSN - 1053-1807
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1522-2586(199910)10:4<503::aid-jmri2>3.0.co;2-j
Subject(s) - medicine , venous stasis , magnetic resonance angiography , magnetic resonance imaging , venography , radiology , brachiocephalic vein , angiography , nuclear medicine , thrombosis , superior vena cava
The purpose of this study was to evaluate left brachiocephalic venous stasis and its relationship to suboptimal contrast‐enhanced carotid magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). Two groups of patients (group 1, 475 patients; group 2, 159 patients) were examined by contrast‐enhanced carotid MRA. Dynamic images of four serial phases were obtained by a three‐dimensional fast low‐angle shot (3D‐FLASH) MRA sequence after bolus injection of 20 ml of gadolinium chelate. In group 1, 43 (9.1%) of 475 cases failed in optimal visualization of carotid arteries because of venous stasis. Left‐side injection of contrast media was significantly related to venous stasis (42/43) ( P < 0.0001). The patients with venous stasis had a higher mean age (54.8 ± 1.5 vs. 60.7 ± 2.9 years) and higher incidence of hypertension (52.8% vs. 72.1%; P < 0.05). Venous stasis was found at the left brachiocephalic vein (42/43). Compression of the left brachiocephalic vein between the sternum and aorta was confirmed in four cases by venography, chest computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. In group 2, right‐side injection did not cause venous stasis at all. The results of this study suggest that use of the right arm for contrast media injection is preferable in the absence of contraindications. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 1999;10:503–509. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.