title: Optimized visualization of vessels in contrast enhanced intracranial MR angiography.
abstract: In this study, the problem of small vessel visualization in magnetic resonance angiography is addressed. The loss of vessel contrast due to slow flow-related signal saturation can be compensated by the T1 reduction obtained from the use of an MR contrast agent, such as Gd-DTPA. The vessel/background signal-difference-to-noise ratio (SDNR) is shown to strongly depend on the imaging parameters, as well as on the time course of the blood T1 values obtained from the contrast injection. Specifically, it was found that vessel SDNR increases almost linearly with TR, if the sampling bandwidth is reduced proportionately.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City 84108-1218, USA.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Goodrich
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Buswell
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Blatter
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Tsuruda
mesh_terms: D016477:Artifacts; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000175:diagnosis; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA