Coronary arteries at 3.0 T: Contrast-enhanced magnetization-prepared three-dimensional breathhold MR angiography.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of contrast-enhanced coronary magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) at 3.0 T.


METHODS
Nine healthy human volunteers were studied on a 3.0-T whole-body MR system. A three-dimensional, breathhold, magnetization-prepared, segmented, gradient-echo sequence was used, with injection of 20 mL gadopentetate dimeglumine for each three-dimensional slab. Imaging parameters were optimized based on computer simulations. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), depicted coronary artery length, lumen diameter, and imaging sharpness with contrast agent were evaluated. SNR and CNR were compared to the results from a previous 1.5-T study.


RESULTS
A 53% increment in SNR and a 305% enhancement in CNR were measured with contrast. Vessel length and sharpness depicted were higher and the lumen diameter was lower (all P values < 0.05) in postcontrast images. Compared to previous results from 1.5-T, the SNR, CNR, and vessel sharpness were enhanced at 3.0 T with higher spatial resolution.


CONCLUSIONS
Contrast-enhanced, three-dimensional, coronary MRA at 3.0 T is a promising technique for diagnosing coronary artery diseases. Patient studies are necessary to evaluate its clinical utility.
Bi
Xiaoming
X
Department of Radiology, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Li
Debiao
D
D000328:Adult; D001769:Blood; D003287:Contrast Media; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012119:Respiration; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted
D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA