Suppression of venous signal in time-of-flight MR angiography of the lower extremities after administration of gadopentetate dimeglumine.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate a magnetic resonance (MR) angiography time-of-flight technique that can effectively suppress venous signal after gadopentetate dimeglumine administration.


METHODS
Twelve adult patients underwent MR angiography for the evaluation of peripheral vascular disease. Gradient-echo sequences were performed after the administration of 0.2 mmol/kg gadopentetate dimeglumine. Three sequences were compared: a nontriggered sequence; a gap sequence, an electrocardiographically triggered, segmented sequence with a 7-mm gap between saturation and imaging sections; and a no-gap sequence, a similar sequence as gap but with partially overlapping imaging and saturation sections. For each sequence, identical regions of interest were generated for arterial, venous, and background muscle tissue and noise. A paired Student t test was used to compare the signal-to-noise and contrast-to-noise ratios (C/Ns) among the sequences. In seven patients, the no-gap sequence was used to acquire MR angiograms of the distal lower extremities.


RESULTS
The mean artery-muscle C/N was similar for the triggered sequences; both were statistically significantly greater than the ratios for the nontriggered sequence. Venous suppression was much better with the no-gap sequence. Overall, the best artery-vein C/N was also obtained with the no-gap sequence. MR angiograms with effective venous suppression could be obtained only with the no-gap sequence.


CONCLUSIONS
Time-of-flight MR angiograms can be obtained with effective venous suppression after the administration of 0.2 mmol/kg gadopentetate dimeglumine.
Rofsky
N M
NM
Department of Radiology, New York University Medical Center, NY 10016, USA.
Purdy
D E
DE
Johnson
G
G
DeCorato
D R
DR
Earls
J P
JP
Krinsky
G
G
Weinreb
J C
JC
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001158:Arteries / Q000473:pathology; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D003287:Contrast Media; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008536:Meglumine; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014680:Veins / Q000473:pathology
D003287:Contrast Media; D004338:Drug Combinations; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D008536:Meglumine; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA