title: Detection of unruptured cerebral artery aneurysms by MRA at 3.0 tesla: comparison with multislice helical computed tomographic angiography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Computed tomographic angiography (CTA) has become the primary non-invasive method for detection of cerebral artery aneurysms in many neurovascular centers.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare MR-angiography at a 3.0 tesla (3T) scanner to CTA in the detection of unruptured intracranial aneurysms.
  
  
  METHODS
  CTA and 3T MRA data from 60 patients were evaluated. CTA was obtained with a 4-16-row helical CT-scanner after administration of 120 cc intravenous contrast agent, MRA was performed by a 3T MR-scanner using time-of-flight pulse sequence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-five cerebral artery aneurysms were detected by MRA and 47 aneurysms by CTA. Most of the aneurysms detected by MRA but not by CTA were small internal carotid artery (ICA) aneurysms. Bone structures and venous enhancement deteriorated CTA accuracy, especially in skull base. In one patient a fairly large anterior communicating artery aneurysm was not visible in MRA due to spin saturation, although it was clearly visualized in CTA. After contrast injection the aneurysm was also seen in MRA. Although the overall image quality of MRA and CTA were comparable, MRA was more susceptible to artifacts and thus re-formatted surface-shaded volume rendered 3-dimensional images of aneurysms from MRA were inferior compared to those from CTA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MRA at 3T appears to be at least as sensitive as CTA in the detection of unruptured cerebral artery aneurysms, however image quality control is crucial and contrast agent enhances visualization of complex and large aneurysms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Helsinki Medical Imaging Center, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. jussi.numminen@hus.fi
authors.forename: Jussi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Numminen
authors.forename: Antti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tarkiainen
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niemelä
authors.forename: Matti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Porras
authors.forename: Juha
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hernesniemi
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kangasniemi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002533:Cerebral Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D007472:Iohexol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D007472:Iohexol; C038192:iopromide