Magnetic resonance approaches to the evaluation of pulmonary vascular anatomy and physiology.
MR imaging offers the potential for combined anatomic and flow-related information about the pulmonary circulation. Although conventional spin-echo sequences have provided an accurate and noninvasive means of evaluating the anatomy of the central pulmonary arteries and veins, newer MR techniques--including cine MR, velocity-encoded phase-contrast scans, spatial modulation of magnetization (SPAMM), fast scan techniques with breath-holding, and echo planar imaging in combination with computer-based post-processing--are providing physiological information superimposed on the anatomic maps. This paper reviews these new MR approaches to the integrated anatomic and physiologic imaging of the pulmonary vasculature.
Hatabu
H
H
Department of Radiology, David W. Devon Medical Imaging Center, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104.
Gefter
W B
WB
Konishi
J
J
Kressel
H Y
HY
D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000033:anatomy & histology*