title: Noninvasive identification of peripheral vessels of oral and maxillofacial regions by using electrocardiography-triggered three-dimensional fast asymmetric spin-echo sequences.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the 3-dimensional images of thinner main peripheral vessels in oral and maxillofacial regions made without contrast medium by using a new technique, fresh blood imaging (FBI). A second objective was to discern arteries from veins by using the combination of FBI with the subtraction technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  Images from FBI were compared with those from 3-dimensional phase-contrast magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) of blood vessels in 20 healthy subjects. All images were scored for visualization and image quality of the main blood vessels. In addition, appropriate flow-spoiled gradient pulses were applied to differentiate arteries from veins in the peripheral vasculature using a combination of FBI sequences and subtraction between systole- and diastole-triggered images.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The scores of MRA using FBI for the visualization of thin blood vessels were significantly better than those using phase contrast, whereas scores for the visualization of main blood vessels were equal. Additionally, we succeeded in our initial attempt to differentiate arteries from veins with a reasonable acquisition time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our initial experience shows that FBI could be a useful method to identify 3-dimensional vasculature and to differentiate arteries from veins among thinner peripheral vessels in the oral and maxillofacial regions without using contrast medium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Diagnostic Science, Kyushu Dental College, Kitakyushu, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsurou
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oda
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kito
authors.forename: Nao
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wakasugi-Sato
authors.forename: Shinobu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsumoto-Takeda
authors.forename: Kozue
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Otsuka
authors.forename: Izumi
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yoshioka
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Habu
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kokuryo
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kodama
authors.forename: Shinnosuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nogami
authors.forename: Ikuya
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Miyamoto
authors.forename: Noriaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Ayataka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: Kou
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsuo
authors.forename: Shunji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shiiba
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Seta
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: Tetsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tominaga
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morimoto
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001158:Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D001769:Blood; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D003287:Contrast Media; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods; D005145:Face / Q000098:blood supply*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D007601:Jugular Veins / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla / Q000098:blood supply*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013382:Subtraction Technique; D014059:Tongue / Q000098:blood supply*; D014680:Veins / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media