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Intracranial vascular imaging
Author(s) -
Parker Dennis L.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a87-d
Subject(s) - lumen (anatomy) , magnetic resonance angiography , magnetic resonance imaging , angiography , radiology , medicine , computed tomography angiography , surgery
This presentation reviews the history and recent developments in intracranial vascular imaging. Technologies discussed include the X‐ray techniques, including X‐ray angiography (XRA), computed tomography angiography (CTA), rotational X‐ray angiography (rXRA), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques, including several types of magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). All of the X‐ray techniques require injection of a contrast agent to enhance the vascular lumen, and based upon timing of acquisition, can visualize arteries or veins or both. MRA techniques are more flexible, can be performed with or without contrast agents, and the resulting images can be designed to emphasize the vascular wall or the artery or vein lumen Imaging of vascular lumen anatomy presents an interesting challenge because of the range of sizes and flow velocities encountered. Sizes of interest can span 3 orders of magnitude and the wall cross‐section can be much smaller than the vessel lumen. In this presentation we discuss advantages and limitations of these technologies and investigate practical limits on resolution, scan time, and other imaging factors.