Biphasic blood pool contrast agent-enhanced whole-body MR angiography for treatment planning in patients with significant arterial stenosis.
OBJECTIVE
To prospectively evaluate diagnostic accuracy of first pass and combined first pass and steady state high-spatial-resolution whole-body magnetic resonance (MR) angiography with a blood pool contrast agent for quantification of arterial stenosis in different vascular territories.


METHODS
After Institutional Review Board approval and informed consent, 50 patients with known 50% or greater stenosis in at least one vascular territory; as shown by the standard-of-reference (14 digital subtraction angiographies, 4 computed tomographies, 32 ultrasound examinations), were included. The patients underwent MR angiography at 1.5 Tesla, using a standardized nonbody-weight-adapted i.v. bolus injection of 11 mL gadofosveset trisodium. First pass imaging with 4 different table positions in a whole-body MR scanner (MAGNETOM Avanto, Siemens Healthcare), using individual circulation time determined by a test bolus, was performed. Steady state imaging was performed using an isometric spatial resolution of 1.0 mm. Image quality was rated. Each vascular segment in MR angiography was evaluated by 2 independent and blinded reviewers and the stenosis degree was compared with the preferred standard-of-reference, using a 5-point scale. Differences between first pass and combined MR angiography were assessed with a 95% confidence interval (CI) by applying the adjusted modified chi(2) test. Changes in therapy based on the whole-body examination strategy were evaluated.


RESULTS
The number of nondiagnostic territories was 24 of 197 (12.2%) for first pass MR angiography and decreased to 3 of 197 (1.5%) after addition of steady state MR angiography. The diagnostic accuracy for quantification of arterial stenosis in combined MR angiography (94.7%; 95% CI: 92.4-97.1) was superior to first pass MR angiography (81.7%; 95% CI: 73.7-89.8; statistically significant). Patient management was changed in 12 of 49 patients, in 7 of 12 patients the change was applied to an additional lesion detected by the whole-body examination strategy.


CONCLUSIONS
The quantification and detection of arterial stenosis is improved by the steady state high-resolution gadofosveset trisodium-enhanced MR angiography. Additional lesions detected by whole-body examination strategy or differences in stenosis quantification may lead to changes in therapy.
Huppertz
Alexander
A
Imaging Science Institute Charité Berlin, Berlin, Germany. Alexander.Huppertz@charite.de
Kroll
Hannes
H
Klessen
Christian
C
Taupitz
Matthias
M
Rückert
Ralph I
RI
Schröder
Ralf-Juergen
RJ
Albrecht
Thomas
T
Frericks
Bernd
B
Voth
Matthias
M
Wagner
Moritz
M
Hamm
Bernd
B
Asbach
Patrick
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D051598:Whole Body Imaging / Q000379:methods*
D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D005682:Gadolinium; C109932:gadofosveset trisodium