3-T navigator parallel-imaging coronary MR angiography: targeted-volume versus whole-heart acquisition.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to compare whole-heart acquisition with targeted-volume acquisition in 3-T navigator coronary MR angiography with parallel imaging.


METHODS
The right and left coronary arteries of 20 subjects were imaged with axial whole-heart acquisition and two oblique targeted-volume acquisitions.


RESULTS
Both whole-heart and targeted-volume acquisitions were completed with similar navigator efficiencies ( approximately 50%) and depicted similar coronary artery diameters ( approximately 3 mm) (p >or= 0.06). The lengths of the coronary arteries were not significantly different (p = 0.07-0.45) for the whole-heart and targeted-volume approaches. Depiction of the sharper coronary arteries (p <or= 0.04) and overall image quality (p < 0.02) were better with the targeted-volume approach.


CONCLUSIONS
For current 3-T navigator parallel-imaging coronary MR angiography, targeted-volume acquisition yields sharper coronary images than does whole-heart acquisition.
Department of Radiology, Dongfang Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Shixin
S
Chang
Matthew D
MD
Cham
Shuguang
S
Hu
Yi
Y
Wang
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008875:Middle Aged; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity