Interrupted aortic arch: diagnosis with gadolinium-enhanced 3D MRA.
OBJECTIVE
Our goal was to describe the use of gadolinium-enhanced 3D MR angiography (MRA) in the diagnosis of interrupted aortic arch (IAA).


METHODS
A review of our MR data base from a 1 year period yielded three patients (1 day, 8 days, and 16 years old) with IAA. All were referred for evaluation of aortic arch abnormalities, only one of whom had suspected IAA. Patients were imaged at 1.5 T with a 3D spoiled gradient echo pulse sequence (TR/TE 3.8-8/1.3-2.7 ms) following the administration of intravenous gadolinium chelates. Surgical correlation was available in all cases.


RESULTS
In the patient with clinically suspected IAA, a previously unsuspected aberrant right subclavian artery was identified that was not seen on preoperative echocardiography. In another patient with a history of previous mediastinal surgery, IAA was diagnosed without concomitant cardiac anomalies, suggesting surgical ligation. In the remaining patient, IAA was detected as well as a patent truncus arteriosus.


CONCLUSIONS
Gadolinium-enhanced 3D MRA may provide for a rapid diagnosis of IAA that may not be possible with other noninvasive modalities. The rapid acquisition time enables unstable pediatric patients to spend minimal time in the MR suite.
Roche
K J
KJ
Department of Radiology/MRI, New York University Medical Center, NY 10016, USA.
Krinsky
G
G
Lee
V S
VS
Rofsky
N
N
Genieser
N B
NB
D000293:Adolescent; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology*; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013348:Subclavian Artery / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000473:pathology
D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA