Renal contrast-enhanced MR angiography: timing errors and accurate depiction of renal artery origins.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate bolus timing artifacts that impair depiction of renal arteries at contrast material-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) angiography and to determine the effect of contrast agent infusion rates on artifact generation.


METHODS
Renal contrast-enhanced MR angiography was simulated for a variety of infusion schemes, assuming both correct and incorrect timing between data acquisition and contrast agent injection. In addition, the ethics committee approved the retrospective evaluation of clinical breath-hold renal contrast-enhanced MR angiographic studies obtained with automated detection of contrast agent arrival. Twenty-two studies were evaluated for their ability to depict the origin of renal arteries in patent vessels and for any signs of timing errors.


RESULTS
Simulations showed that a completely artifactual stenosis or an artifactual overestimation of an existing stenosis at the renal artery origin can be caused by timing errors of the order of 5 seconds in examinations performed with contrast agent infusion rates compatible with or higher than those of hand injections. Lower infusion rates make the studies more likely to accurately depict the origin of the renal arteries. In approximately one-third of all clinical examinations, different contrast agent uptake rates were detected on the left and right sides of the body, and thus allowed us to confirm that it is often impossible to optimize depiction of both renal arteries. In three renal arteries, a signal void was found at the origin in a patent vessel, and delayed contrast agent arrival was confirmed.


CONCLUSIONS
Computer simulations and clinical examinations showed that timing errors impair the accurate depiction of renal artery origins.
Schmidt
Maria A
MA
Department of Medical Physics, St George's Hospital NHS Trust, London, England. maria.schmidt@icr.ac.uk
Morgan
Robert
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016477:Artifacts; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000592:standards*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012077:Renal Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013995:Time
D003287:Contrast Media