title: Interrupted aortic arch: diagnosis with gadolinium-enhanced 3D MRA.
abstract: 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.
authors: Department of Radiology/MRI, New York University Medical Center, NY 10016, USA.
authors: K J
authors: KJ
authors: Roche
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Krinsky
authors: V S
authors: VS
authors: Lee
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Rofsky
authors: N B
authors: NB
authors: Genieser
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA