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Spiral coronary angiography using a blood pool agent
Author(s) -
Ringgaard Steffen,
Pedersen Michael,
Rickers Jonas,
Johansson Lars O.,
Börnert Peter,
Pedersen Erik M.
Publication year - 2005
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.20371
Subject(s) - spiral (railway) , contrast to noise ratio , coronary angiography , artery , cardiac cycle , nuclear medicine , medicine , materials science , image quality , cardiology , mathematics , computer science , mathematical analysis , artificial intelligence , myocardial infarction , image (mathematics)
Purpose To experimentally investigate the optimum dose of an iron‐oxide‐based blood pool agent for spiral coronary MR angiography (MRA), and the difference between single and multiple spiral excitations in each cardiac cycle. Materials and Methods Images using single and triple spiral excitations in each cardiac cycle were obtained in late diastole of the left main coronary artery in eight pigs following an inversion prepulse. Measurements were obtained before and after injection of increasing doses of an iron oxide blood pool agent (Clariscan) corresponding to concentrations of 0.8, 2.2, and 3.9 mg Fe/kg BW. The signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) and contrast‐to‐noise ratio (CNR) were measured. Results For 0.8 mg Fe/kg BW relative to precontrast values, a significant increase was observed for both one (SNR: 2.3, CNR: 3.8) and three (SNR: 1.4, CNR: 2.2) excitations ( P < 0.01). When the dose was increased from 0.8 mg Fe/kg BW to 2.2 mg Fe/kg BW, only the SNR ( P < 0.01) increased further. Significantly higher CNR (1.6–1.8) and SNR (1.4–1.6) values were seen for one excitation relative to three excitations at all concentrations ( P < 0.05). Conclusion At low concentrations, an iron oxide blood pool agent can increase SNR and CNR significantly with both single excitation and triple excitations using an inversion‐prepared spiral acquisition scheme. At higher concentrations, T2* effects reduce image quality. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2005;22:213–218. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.