Three-dimensional, navigator-echo MR coronary angiography in detecting stenoses of the major epicardial vessels, with conventional coronary angiography as the standard of reference.
OBJECTIVE
To test three-dimensional (3D), navigator-echo magnetic resonance (MR) coronary angiography in detecting stenoses of the coronary arteries.


METHODS
Forty-two patients (age range, 50-79 years) underwent MR coronary angiography (1.5 T). A navigator-echo sequence was used. Two or three 15% overlapped transverse slabs were acquired. Data were analyzed by readers blinded to conventional coronary angiographic results. On conventional coronary angiograms, coronary arterial stenoses of 50% or greater narrowing were considered significant. On MR coronary angiograms, the major coronary vessels were subdivided into proximal (within 5 cm) and distal (beyond 5 cm) segments, except for the left main vessel. Stenoses of 50% or greater were identified on reformatted multiplanar MR coronary angiograms.


RESULTS
Three MR coronary angiographic examinations were aborted because of patient claustrophobia; 39 of 39 left main, 117 of 117 proximal, and 78 of 117 distal segments were visualized. MR coronary angiography showed a sensitivity of 82% (95% CI: 73%, 91%) and a specificity of 89% (95% CI: 85%, 94%) in overall stenoses identification, of 90% (95% CI: 81%, 99%) and 90% (95% CI: 83%, 96%) for proximal segments, and of 68% (95% CI: 50%, 86%) and 81% (95% CI: 71%, 92%) for distal segments, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Navigator-echo, 3D MR coronary angiography is a promising sequence for assessing coronary arterial stenoses, but further improvements are required for distal segments.
Sardanelli
F
F
Department of Radiology, University of Genoa School of Medicine, Italy. sardanelli@biomedical.www-it.com
Molinari
G
G
Zandrino
F
F
Balbi
M
M
D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012015:Reference Standards; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity