MR angiography for detecting the artery of Adamkiewicz and its branching level from the aorta.
OBJECTIVE
We evaluated the efficacy of magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) for detecting the artery of Adamkiewicz (AKA) and the vertebral level of its feeding arteries branching from the aorta.


METHODS
Eighty-two patients (67 men, 15 women; aged 34 to 86 years, mean age 68.6 years) with thoracic descending and thoracoabdominal aortic lesions (aneurysm in 55, dissection in 25, coarctation in 2) underwent MRA to detect AKA. MRA was performed using 6-phase, dynamic-enhanced, 3-dimensional, fast spoiled gradient recalled acquisition in steady state (GRASS) on a 1.5-tesla (T) system, with double-dose bolus contrast injection. The vertebral levels of AKA branching and the AKA feeder artery branching from the aorta were determined.


RESULTS
The AKA was detected in 67 patients (81.7%). Branching of AKA occurred at levels T7 to T12 on the left side (n=52) and on the right (n=15). Vascular continuity from the aorta to the anterior spinal artery was demonstrated in 55 patients (67.1%). Comparing the vertebral level of arterial branching from the aorta to that of the AKA at the intervertebral foramen, the AKA branched at the same vertebral level in 44 patients (80.0%), one vertebral level above/below in 10 (18.2%), and 2 vertebral levels above in one (1.8%).


CONCLUSIONS
MRA can be useful in the preoperative work-up of patients with thoracoabdominal aortic lesions to localize AKA and the segmental trajectories of vessels supplying blood to the AKA.
Hyodoh
Hideki
H
Department of Radiology, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, Japan. hyodo@sapmed.ac.jp
Shirase
Ryuji
R
Kawaharada
Nobuyoshi
N
Hyodoh
Kazusa
K
Sato
Taishi
T
Onodera
Maki
M
Aratani
Kazunori
K
Hareyama
Masato
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001011:Aorta / Q000473:pathology*; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D001027:Aortography / Q000379:methods; D001158:Arteries / Q000473:pathology*; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae
D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA