Assessment of arteriovenous malformations with 3-Tesla time-resolved, contrast-enhanced, three-dimensional magnetic resonance angiography.
OBJECTIVE
Although conventional catheter angiography is commonly used in the evaluation of intracranial arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), less invasive tools are more suitable for screening or follow-up. Older MR angiography techniques cannot provide high enough temporal and spatial resolution for assessing AVMs. Threetesla time-resolved imaging of contrast kinetics (TRICKS)-a time-resolved, contrast-enhanced 3D MR angiography technique-achieves subsecond time resolution without sacrificing spatial resolution. The purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy of TRICKS at 3 T in the evaluation of AVMs.


METHODS
Between November 2006 and November 2007, 31 patients who were known to have AVMs underwent evaluation in a 3-T unit with the TRICKS technique. The TRICKS images were then evaluated independently by 2 radiologists for nidus detection, early venous filling detection, and Spetzler-Martin classification, and these results were compared with the results of catheter angiography.


RESULTS
Time-resolved imaging of contrast kinetics achieved 96% sensitivity and 100% specificity both in nidus detection and early venous filling detection. The Spetzler-Martin grades also showed excellent correlation with catheter angiography findings (kappa= 0.89).


CONCLUSIONS
Although this is a preliminary study, the authors' results indicate that time-resolved contrast-enhanced 3D MR angiography at 3 T is a good tool to assess AVMs, and has the potential to replace catheter angiography in screening or follow-up examinations of patients with AVMs.
Kunishima
Kanako
K
Departments of Radiology, The University of Tokyo Hospital, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. kunishima-tky@umin.ac.jp
Mori
Harushi
H
Itoh
Daisuke
D
Aoki
Shigeki
S
Kabasawa
Hiroyuki
H
Koga
Tomoyuki
T
Maruyama
Keisuke
K
Masumoto
Tomohiko
T
Abe
Osamu
O
Ohtomo
Kuni
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002538:Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity