Whole-heart coronary magnetic resonance angiography: contrast-enhanced high-resolution, time-resolved 3D imaging.
OBJECTIVE
To test the feasibility and performance of a 4D magnetic resonance coronary angiography sequence compared with conventional inversion recovery (IR) prepared gradient echo imaging.


METHODS
A 4D sequence with 100 milliseconds temporal resolution was implemented on a 1.5 T system. Five minipigs were examined after administration of very small superparamagnetic iron oxide particles. Coronary angiographies with an isotropic resolution of 0.82 mm were performed in the pigs using 4D and IR sequences.


RESULTS
The 4D sequence allowed visualization of the coronary arteries, the effect of their movement and that of the entire heart without prolonging scan time. The contrast-to-noise ratio of the IR images was on average 38% higher than that of the corresponding 4D phase.


CONCLUSIONS
4D magnetic resonance imaging is superior in that no trigger delay time needs to be determined and an additional whole-heart cine study can be obtained.
Warmuth
Carsten
C
Department of Radiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany. carsten.warmuth@charite.de
Schnorr
Jörg
J
Kaufels
Nicola
N
Wagner
Susanne
S
Pilgrimm
Herbert
H
Hamm
Bernd
B
Taupitz
Matthias
M
D000818:Animals; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods; D009200:Myocardial Contraction; D013552:Swine; D013556:Swine, Miniature
D003287:Contrast Media; D005290:Ferric Compounds; C000499:ferric oxide