MR angiography of the extracranial carotid arteries using a two-slab oblique 3-D acquisition.
OBJECTIVE
To describe an oblique, two-slab 3-D acquisition technique for MR angiography of the extracranial carotid arteries, an approach chosen to minimize saturation effects when the body coil is used as transmitter, as is often the situation when a dedicated neck coil is used as receiver.


METHODS
Five healthy subjects and 17 patients in whom carotid artery disease was suspected underwent MR angiography using the above technique.


RESULTS
Flow contrast was much better than in direct sagittal acquisition. Comparisons between multislab transverse 3-D acquisition and the oblique approach showed that a greater length of the carotid arteries was depicted and scan time was less for oblique acquisitions.


CONCLUSIONS
Use of oblique imaging is a simple and effective solution to the problem of coil-related saturation effects.
Li
W
W
Department of Radiology, Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, MA 02215.
Kramer
J
J
Kleefield
J
J
Edelman
R R
RR
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology*; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged