Assessment of 3D-TOF-MRA at 3.0 Tesla in the characterization of the angioarchitecture of cerebral arteriovenous malformations: a preliminary study.
BACKGROUND
The characterization of brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM) angioarchitecture remains rewarding in planning and predicting therapy. The increased signal-to-noise ratio at higher field strength has been found advantageous in vascular brain pathologies.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether 3.0T time-of-flight (TOF) magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) is superior to 1.5T TOF-MRA for the characterization of cerebral AVMs.


METHODS
Fifteen patients with AVM underwent TOF-MRA at 3.0T and 1.5T and catheter angiography (DSA), which was used as the gold standard. Blinded readers scored image quality on a four-point scale, nidus size, and number of feeding arteries and draining veins.


RESULTS
Image quality of TOF-MRA at 3.0T was superior to 1.5T but still inferior to DSA. Evaluation of nidus size was equally good at 3.0T and 1.5T for all AVMs. In small AVMs, however, there was a tendency of size overestimation at 3.0T. MRA at 3.0T had increased detection rates for feeding arteries (+21%) and superficial (+13%) and deep draining veins (+33%) over 1.5T MRA.


CONCLUSIONS
3.0T TOF-MRA offers superior characterization of AVM angioarchitecture compared with 1.5T TOF-MRA. The image quality of MRA at both 3.0 and 1.5T is still far from equal to DSA, which remains the gold standard for characterization of AVM.
Heidenreich
J O
JO
Department of Radiology, Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals of Cleveland, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-5000, USA. jens.heidenreich@case.edu
Schilling
A M
AM
Unterharnscheidt
F
F
Stendel
R
R
Hartlieb
S
S
Wacker
F K
FK
Schlattmann
P
P
Wolf
K-J
KJ
Bruhn
H
H
D000328:Adult; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction / Q000379:methods; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D002538:Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008280:Magnetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation
D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA