title: Identification of the feeding arteries of spinal vascular lesions via phase-contrast MR angiography with three-dimensional acquisition and phase display.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether identification of the feeding arteries of spinal vascular lesions with phase-contrast MR angiography benefits from the higher spatial resolution of three-dimensional (volume) acquisitions and flow-direction information provided by the phase reconstruction of two-dimensional acquisitions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen patients with high- or low-flow spinal vascular lesions proved by spinal arteriography underwent MR angiography with phase-contrast techniques. Arteriographic and MR angiographic studies were reviewed to identify the arterial feeders of spinal vascular lesions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On modulus reconstructions of coronal 2-D or 3-D acquisitions, three of four arteries feeding high-flow lesions and three of 14 arteries feeding low-flow lesions were identified as hypertrophic vessels joining the parent intercostal or cervical arteries. Of 11 intradural veins draining dural arteriovenous fistulas, three were identified on coronal 2-D acquisitions and six on coronal 3-D acquisitions as vessels that coursed from a neural foramen to a midline tangle of vessels. Phase reconstruction showed ascending and descending flow patterns in two patients with intramedullary arteriovenous malformations, and diverging flow in perimedullary veins draining a hemangioblastoma. In nine patients with dural arteriovenous fistulas, phase reconstruction provided information as to the level of the arterial feeders. Phase reconstruction in coronal plane acquisitions also provided evidence of centripetal flow.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Three-dimensional acquisitions and phase display of 2-D acquisitions improved the visibility of arterial pedicles of spinal vascular lesions at phase-contrast MR angiography.
authors.affiliation: Cattedra di Radiologia, Universita' di Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mascalchi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Quilici
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ferrito
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mangiafico
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scazzeri
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Torselli
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Petruzzi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cosottini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tessa
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bartolozzi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001158:Arteries / Q000473:pathology; D001164:Arteriovenous Fistula / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001165:Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004388:Dura Mater / Q000098:blood supply; D005260:Female; D018325:Hemangioblastoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000098:blood supply*; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D013131:Spine / Q000098:blood supply*