High-resolution selective three-dimensional magnetic resonance coronary angiography with navigator-echo technique: segment-by-segment evaluation of coronary artery stenosis.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the feasibility of high-resolution selective three-dimensional (3D) magnetic resonance coronary angiography (MRCA) in the evaluation of coronary artery stenoses.


METHODS
In 12 patients with coronary artery stenoses, MRCA of the coronary artery groups, including the coronary segments with stenoses of 50% or greater based on conventional x-ray coronary angiography (CAG), was performed with double-oblique imaging planes by orienting the 3D slab along the major axis of each right coronary artery-left circumflex artery (RCA-LCX) group and each left main trunk-left anterior descending artery (LMT-LAD) group. Ten RCA-LCX and five LMT-LAD MR angiograms were obtained, and the results were compared with those of conventional x-ray angiography.


RESULTS
Among 70 coronary artery segments expected to be covered, a total of 49 (70%) segments were fully demonstrated in diagnostic quality. The identification of segmental location of stenoses showed as high an accuracy as 96%. The retrospective analysis for stenosis of 50% or greater yielded the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 80%, 85%, and 84%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Selective 3D MRCA has the potential for segment-by-segment evaluation of major portions of the right and left coronary arteries with high accuracy.
Watanabe
Yuji
Y
Department of Radiology, Kurashiki Central Hospital, Miwa, Kurashiki, Japan. yw5904@kchnet.or.jp
Nagayama
Masako
M
Amoh
Yoshiki
Y
Fujii
Masako
M
Fuku
Yasushi
Y
Okumura
Akira
A
Van Cauteren
Marc
M
Stuber
Matthias
M
Dodo
Yoshihiro
Y
D000368:Aged; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors