Comparison of matched-filtered two-dimensional projection and elliptical centric-ordered three-dimensional contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the image quality of matched-filtered two-dimensional projection magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and elliptical centric-ordered (EC) three-dimensional MRA.


METHODS
Signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) of matched-filtered two-dimensional projection and EC three-dimensional MRA are developed theoretically and compared by clinical studies, in which 10-20 mL of gadolinium (Gd) was injected at 1.5 mL/second. The artery-vein contrast in two-dimensional projection MRA was managed by manually selecting specific templates for the matched filters.


RESULTS
The SNR of matched-filtered two-dimensional projection MRA is superior to that of EC three-dimensional MRA for vessels wider than one pixel due to the integral effect. The artery-vein contrast can be managed flexibly in two-dimensional projection MRA by choosing different templates for the matched filter, while the artery-vein contrast in EC three-dimensional MRA is solely determined by the timing to start the acquisition.


CONCLUSIONS
Matched-filtered two-dimensional projection MRA provides comparable image quality and is a flexible alternative to EC three-dimensional MRA in applications where contrast timing is difficult and temporal information is of interest.
Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Canada. huangyx@sten.sunnybrook.utoronto.ca
Yuexi
Y
Huang
Naeem
N
Merchant
Graham A
GA
Wright
D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*
D003287:Contrast Media; C064925:gadodiamide; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA