Vasodilating in MR-angiography: a comparison of techniques.
OBJECTIVE
To verify the hypothesis that a drug that causes vasodilation can contribute to improvement in MRA spatial resolution. To test this hypothesis, a comparison was made between the images obtained using the high resolution time-of-flight (TOF HR 3D) technique and the TOF 3D MTC TONE technique.


METHODS
From November 1993 to December 1994, we studied 40 patients, of which 20 patients (16 males and 4 females; average age of 10 years; range from 3 to 20 years) we examined after they had inhaled Isoflurane (experimental group), and 20 patients (16 males and 4 females; average age 9.7 years; range from 3 to 12 years) were examined with standard MRA (control group).


RESULTS
The vasodilator in both HR MRA and MTC TONE MRA permits a better spatial visualization with respect to the clinical routine MRA. On the other hand, it is true that MTC TONE gives better visualization of the small vessels.


CONCLUSIONS
In our experience, this preliminary study indicates that with respect to routine MR, the spatial resolution is notably increased when Isoflurane is used. The signal-to-noise ratio is increased but, moreover, the ability to visualize small vessels is increased.


CONCLUSIONS
The preliminary results obtained in this study indicate that a pharmacological drugs is capable of increasing the vascular detail of MRA images of the intracranial vessels and that continued research this direction is called for.
Institute of Radiology, University G. D'Annunzio, Chieti.
A
A
Carriero
A
A
Villa
N
N
Magarelli
R
R
Marano
R
R
Fossaceca
L
L
Bonomo
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014665:Vasodilator Agents
D014665:Vasodilator Agents