Single breath-hold pulmonary magnetic resonance angiography. Optimization and comparison of three imaging strategies.
OBJECTIVE
Ultrafast gradient-recalled-echo techniques for obtaining high-quality pulmonary magnetic resonance angiograms within a single breath-hold were optimized.


METHODS
Fourteen subjects were imaged with both the body coil and a phased-array surface coil, using three gradient-recalled-echo pulse sequences: 1) two-dimensional sequential; 2) two-dimensional interleaved; and 3) volumetric acquisitions. Image quality was assessed with varied flip angle, receiver bandwidth, slice thickness/number, and matrix size. Cardiac compensation diminished ghost artifacts in the interleaved sequence. Individual sagittal sections and maximum intensity projections were reviewed.


RESULTS
Pulmonary magnetic resonance angiograms acquired with volumetric and two-dimensional interleaved gradient-recalled-echo pulse sequences benefit greatest from intravenous gadolinium and result in greater pulmonary arterial visualization than traditional time-of-flight techniques. Phased-array coils result in improved vessel detection.


CONCLUSIONS
High-quality breath-held pulmonary magnetic resonance angiography can be obtained with an intravenous contrast-enhanced gradient-recalled-echo acquisition; however, image quality is dependent on the pulse sequence.
Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, California.
G D
GD
Rubin
R J
RJ
Herfkens
N J
NJ
Pelc
T K
TK
Foo
S
S
Napel
A
A
Shimakawa
R M
RM
Steiner
C J
CJ
Bergin
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016477:Artifacts; D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology*; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000473:pathology*
D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA