title: Noncontrast MR angiography for supraaortic arteries using inflow enhanced inversion recovery fast spin echo imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To depict supraaortic arteries using (3D fast spin echo (FSE) combined with slab selective inversion recovery for noncontrast magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) in healthy volunteers, and to investigate the property of the inflow enhanced inversion recovery FSE (IFIR-FSE) for background suppression and inflow effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  IFIR-FSE with no image subtraction was used to visualize the aortic arch, subclavian arteries, carotid arteries, and vertebral arteries in 10 healthy volunteers. Simulations were performed to achieve both high background suppression and inflow effects by adjusting the inversion time (TI) and wait time after data acquisition. The effect of inflow was investigated with TIs of 800, 1200, 1600, and 2000 msec. Contrast between artery and these background tissues were measured with scan protocols based on simulation results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IFIR-FSE images showed good visualization of the supraaortic arteries and allowed separation of arteries from veins without image subtraction. The proposed method demonstrated that a high contrast between arteries and background tissues can be acquired with various TIs, which was in good agreement with the simulation. A TI over 1600 msec was favorable in terms of background suppression, arterial signal intensity, and inflow effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inflow enhanced inversion recovery cardiac-triggered 3D FSE imaging can be used for supraaortic artery imaging without contrast agents.
authors: Applied Science Laboratory, GE Healthcare, Tokyo, Japan. naoyuki.takei@ge.com
authors: Naoyuki
authors: N
authors: Takei
authors: Mitsuharu
authors: M
authors: Miyoshi
authors: Hiroyuki
authors: H
authors: Kabasawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D001011:Aorta / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D003287:Contrast Media; D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013113:Spin Labels
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D013113:Spin Labels