title: Noncontrast-enhanced four-dimensional MR angiography for the evaluation of cerebral arteriovenous malformation: a preliminary trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To prospectively evaluate noncontrast-enhanced (NCE), time resolved, four-dimensional (4D) magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) for assessment of cerebral arteriovenous malformation (AVM), with intraarterial digital subtraction angiography (DSA) performed as the reference standard.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen patients (ten men, five women; age range 2-59 years, mean 29.4 years) with 15 untreated cerebral AVMs comprised the study population. NCE 4D MRA was performed on a 3.0 T MR scanner. MR images were reviewed by two independent readers and compared with DSA with respect to arterial feeders, nidus size, and venous drainage. Kappa coefficients of concordance were computed to determine the interobserver and intermodality agreements for the depiction of arterial feeders, nidus, and venous drainage between the two techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifteen AVMs detected in DSA were visualized in NCE 4D MRA. Intermodality agreements were excellent for the arterial feeders (K = 0.918, P = 0.000), good for the nidus size (K = 0.692, P = 0.000), and moderate for the venous drainage (K = 0.495, P = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NCE 4D MRA is a promising and potentially valuable method for noninvasive assessment of angioarchitecture and hemodynamics of cerebral AVMs. Further improvement of labeling persistence is desirable in order to enhance the depiction of draining veins for AVMs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China.
authors.forename: Junling
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Dapeng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Chuanliang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yongli
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Meiyun
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xinwei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Lixin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Xiaoming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Bi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D002538:Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media