title: Visualization of coronary arterial wall based on maximum intensity fusion of whole-heart MR angiograms and water suppression SPIR 3D T(1) TFE images.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We estimated the coronary artery wall using maximum intensity fusion (MIF) of whole-heart magnetic resonance (MR) angiography (WHCA) and water suppression-spectral presaturation with inversion recovery (WS-SPIR) 3D T(1)-weighted turbo field echo (3DT(1) TFE).
  
  
  METHODS
  We created a phantom using a wall of plastic bottles varied with plastic tapes measuring 0.4 to 3.0 mm thick (0-14 sheets) by vernier caliper and compared widths with those on profile curves. In 3 patients, to clarify the capacity to visualize the coronary wall in vulnerable plaque, we acquired WS-SPIR 3D T(1) TFE and WS-spectral attenuation with inversion recovery (SPAIR) (inversion time [TI] 400 ms) 3D T(1) TFE images of carotid vulnerable plaque; also termed "lipid-rich plaque," vulnerable plaque is considered to be visualized in high intensity. We utilized the same geometric parameters and rest period on WHCA as for WS-SPIR 3D T(1) TFE. We obtained MIF of WHCA and WS-SPIR 3D T(1) TFE and measured thickness of the right coronary artery (RCA) wall on the profile curve in 18 cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The widths of the dip of the lower third of the bottom to head on the profile curve were consistent with actual measurement at 1-2 mm, the usual coronary artery wall thickness. Carotid plaques of high intensity by T(1)-weighted black-blood (T(1)BB) and T(2)-weighted BB (T(2)BB) methods showed high intensity on WS-SPAIR (TI 400 ms) 3D T(1) TFE and low intensity on WS-SPIR 3D T(1) TFE. With or without vulnerable plaque in the coronary artery wall, MIF of WHCA and WS-SPIR 3D T(1) TFE reflected the coronary artery wall. We obtained bands of low intensity in MIF between epicardial fat of WS-SPIR 3D T(1) TFE and coronary artery lumen of WHCA all but mid RCA in all 18 cases. We were unable to detect mid RCA in 5 cases. The outline of the obstructed mid RCA in 1 case was clear in WS-SPIR 3D T(1) TFE. The higher velocity of RCA movement caused blurring in another 4 cases in both WHCA and WS-SPIR 3D T(1) TFE. Those wall thickness of proximal or mid RCA averaged 1.3+/-0.2 mm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bands of low intensity between epicardial fat and coronary artery lumen on MIF of WHCA and WS-SPIR 3D T(1) TFE can reflect the coronary artery wall.
authors: Department of Radiology, Wakakusa Daiichi Hospital, Higashiosaka, Osaka 579-8056, Japan. shigekot@maia.eonet.ne.jp
authors: Shigeko
authors: S
authors: Tanaka
authors: Masuki
authors: M
authors: Mori
authors: Kazuhisa
authors: K
authors: Kitazaki
authors: Koichi
authors: K
authors: Nakahira
authors: Hiroki
authors: H
authors: Nakatsuka
authors: Yasutaka
authors: Y
authors: Maeda
authors: Hisashi
authors: H
authors: Madono
authors: Yukari
authors: Y
authors: Naito
authors: Yuko
authors: Y
authors: Sugimori
authors: Yuichi
authors: Y
authors: Inoue
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging