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Intracranial contrast‐enhanced magnetic resonance venography with 6.4‐fold sensitivity encoding at 1.5 and 3.0 Tesla
Author(s) -
Hu Houchun H.,
Haider Clifton R.,
Campeau Norbert G.,
Huston John,
Riederer Stephen J.
Publication year - 2008
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.21255
Subject(s) - venography , medicine , image quality , magnetic resonance imaging , radiology , image contrast , contrast (vision) , cerebral veins , magnetic resonance angiography , nuclear medicine , computer science , thrombosis , image (mathematics) , surgery , artificial intelligence
Purpose To prospectively compare vessel conspicuity and diagnostic image quality between three‐dimensional intracranial contrast‐enhanced MR venography acquired at 1.5 Tesla (T) and 3.0T, with 6.4‐fold sensitivity encoding. Materials and Methods Ten healthy volunteers were imaged on 1.5T and 3.0T MR scanners using eight‐element head coil arrays. The intracranial venous vasculature was divided into five groups for evaluation based on vessel size and anatomical location. Two radiologists independently assessed vessel conspicuity, level of artifacts, and diagnostic image quality. Informed consent was obtained, and the study was approved by the institutional review board. Results With the exception of large cerebral sinuses where 1.5T and 3.0T results were rated as equivalent, 3.0T images demonstrated superior vessel continuity, sharpness, and signal contrast to background tissue than 1.5T for all other intracranial venous vasculature ( P < 0.01). No statistical significance in overall image quality was found between 1.5T and 3.0T venograms, and all data sets were deemed sufficient for diagnostic interpretation. Conclusion Whole brain contrast‐enhanced venography with 6.4‐fold sensitivity encoding is robust and has the potential to become the method of choice for fast visualization of the intracranial venous vasculature. At 3.0T, demonstration of small cerebral vessels is superior to 1.5T. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.