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Passive catheter tracking using MRI: Comparison of conventional and magnetization‐prepared FLASH
Author(s) -
Green Jordin D.,
Omary Reed A.,
Finn J. Paul,
Tang Richard,
Li Yongzhong,
Carr James,
Li Debiao
Publication year - 2002
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/jmri.10132
Subject(s) - imaging phantom , flash (photography) , catheter , materials science , nuclear medicine , biomedical engineering , radiology , medicine , physics , optics
Purpose To compare a magnetization‐prepared gradient‐echo (GRE) sequence with a conventional GRE sequence for visualizing contrast agent‐filled catheters. Materials and Methods Passive visualization of endovascular catheters using MRI was compared between two imaging sequences: 1) inversion recovery (IR)‐fast low angle shot (FLASH), and 2) conventional FLASH. Two‐dimensional projection images of the catheters filled with 4% diluted contrast agent in a phantom and the aorta of swine were obtained with each sequence with a temporal resolution of two frames per second. We compared background suppression and catheter visibility using the catheter‐to‐background signal ratio and the ratings of two radiologists. Results In the phantom, IR‐FLASH allowed for a 200% increase in catheter‐to‐background ratio ( p < 0.01) and improved depiction of catheters over conventional FLASH. In swine, the IR‐FLASH images showed a statistically significant improvement of 80% ( p < 0.001) over conventional FLASH in all comparisons of the catheter‐to‐background signal ratio, and an improvement of 160% ( p < 0.05) in comparison with the radiologists' observations. Conclusion This study shows that IR‐FLASH is a better technique for passive tracking of contrast agent‐filled catheters than conventional FLASH. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2002;16:104–109. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.