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Contrast‐enhanced peripheral MR angiography at 3.0 Tesla: Initial experience with a whole‐body scanner in healthy volunteers
Author(s) -
Leiner Tim,
de Vries Marianne,
Hoogeveen Romhild,
Vasbinder G. Boudewijn C.,
Lemaire Etienne,
van Engelshoven Jos M.A.
Publication year - 2003
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.10297
Subject(s) - medicine , image quality , magnetic resonance angiography , scanner , contrast (vision) , magnetic resonance imaging , peripheral , nuclear medicine , angiography , whole body imaging , radiology , physics , image (mathematics) , computer science , artificial intelligence , optics
Purpose To report preliminary experience with contrast‐enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE‐MRA) of the peripheral arteries on a 3.0 T whole‐body scanner equipped with a prototype body coil. Materials and Methods Four healthy volunteers were imaged on the 3.0 T system and, for comparative purposes, two of the subjects were also imaged on a commercially available 1.5 T whole‐body system. To investigate field strength influence on objective image quality, signal‐to‐noise (SN) and contrast‐to‐noise (CN) ratios were calculated for named vessels from the infrarenal aorta to the ankles at both field strengths. Comparable imaging protocols were used at both field strengths. In addition, two reviewers, blinded for field strength, gave subjective image quality scores (three‐point scale). Results SN and CN ratios were approximately equal on both systems (variation ≤9%) for the iliac and proximal upper leg stations. For the popliteal and lower leg stations SN ratios were 36% and 97% higher, and CN ratios were 44% and 127% higher, at 3.0 T. Subjective image quality at 3.0 T was substantially better for the distal upper and lower legs. Conclusion Contrast‐enhanced peripheral MRA is possible at 3.0 T when an imaging protocol similar to a current state‐of‐the‐art 1.5 T protocol is used. Objective and subjective image quality at 3.0 T is comparable for the iliac and upper legs but better for the popliteal and lower leg arteries. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2003;17:609–614. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.