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High‐resolution, time‐resolved MRA provides superior definition of lower‐extremity arterial segments compared to 2D time‐of‐flight imaging
Author(s) -
Thornton F.J.,
Du J.,
Suleiman S.A.,
Dieter R.,
Tefera G.,
Pillai K.R.,
Korosec F.R.,
Mistretta C.A.,
Grist T.M.
Publication year - 2006
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.20630
Subject(s) - medicine , wilcoxon signed rank test , nuclear medicine , magnetic resonance angiography , temporal resolution , image quality , magnetic resonance imaging , contrast (vision) , image resolution , peripheral , radiology , mann–whitney u test , computer science , artificial intelligence , physics , image (mathematics) , quantum mechanics
Purpose To evaluate a novel time‐resolved contrast‐enhanced (CE) projection reconstruction (PR) magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) method for identifying potential bypass graft target vessels in patients with Class II–IV peripheral vascular disease. Materials and methods Twenty patients (M:F = 15:5, mean age = 58 years, range = 48–83 years), were recruited from routine MRA referrals. All imaging was performed on a 1.5 T MRI system with fast gradients (Signa LX; GE Healthcare, Waukesha, WI). Images were acquired with a novel technique that combined undersampled PR with a time‐resolved acquisition to yield an MRA method with high temporal and spatial resolution. The method is called PR hyper time‐resolved imaging of contrast kinetics (PR‐hyperTRICKS). Quantitative and qualitative analyses were used to compare two‐dimensional (2D) time‐of‐flight (TOF) and PR‐hyperTRICKS in 13 arterial segments per lower extremity. Statistical analysis was performed with the Wilcoxon signed‐rank test. Results Fifteen percent (77/517) of the vessels were scored as missing or nondiagnostic with 2D TOF, but were scored as diagnostic with PR‐hyperTRICKS. Image quality was superior with PR‐hyperTRICKS vs. 2D TOF (on a four‐point scale, mean rank = 3.3 ± 1.2 vs. 2.9 ± 1.2, P < 0.0001). PR‐hyperTRICKS produced images with high contrast‐to‐noise ratios (CNR) and high spatial and temporal resolution. 2D TOF images were of inferior quality due to moderate spatial resolution, inferior CNR, greater flow‐related artifacts, and absence of temporal resolution. Conclusion PR‐hyperTRICKS provides superior preoperative assessment of lower limb ischemia compared to 2D TOF. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.