Initial feasibility of a multi-station high resolution three-dimensional dark blood angiography protocol for the assessment of peripheral arterial disease.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the feasibility of a multi-station three dimensional (3D) T1-weighted turbo spin echo (TSE) dark-blood Sampling Perfection with Application optimized Contrasts using different flip angle Evolution sequence (T1w-SPACE), to assess aorta, iliac, and superficial femoral (SFA) arteries (inflow vessels) by comparing it with a multi-station contrast enhanced MR angiography (CE-MRA) with identical resolution.


METHODS
A total of 6 volunteers and 14 peripheral arterial disease (PAD) patients were included in the study. Abdominal and thigh T1w-SPACE and lower leg time-resolved MRA (TR-MRA) with low dose contrast were followed by 3-station CE-MRA. Quantitative measurements of lumen area at 17 locations from T1w-SPACE and CE-MRA were obtained. Additionally, vessel wall areas at the same locations were obtained from the T1w-SPACE images.


RESULTS
Quantitative comparison of lumen areas with T1w-SPACE and CE-MRA revealed strong correlation between the two techniques and strong inter-observer agreement for each of the two imaging methods (r > 0.9; P < 0.001). Localized vessel wall area measurements obtained in PAD patients were significantly greater compared with those obtained in normal volunteers (mean difference 43.75 +/- 12.46 mm(2); P < 0.001). Stenosis severity obtained from T1w-SPACE localized measurements showed significant arterial area stenosis in PAD patients.


CONCLUSIONS
T1w-SPACE imaging of inflow vessels is feasible, and in addition to CE-MRA has the ability to assess atherosclerotic plaque and vascular remodeling.
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Georgeta
G
Mihai
Yiu-Cho
YC
Chung
Mbabazi
M
Kariisa
Subha V
SV
Raman
Orlando P
OP
Simonetti
Sanjay
S
Rajagopalan
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003287:Contrast Media; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D016014:Linear Models; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*
D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA