title: Noninvasive test of nitrate-induced coronary vasomotion by 1.5-T whole-heart 3D magnetic resonance angiography using a T2-prepared SSFP sequence.
abstract: This study was aimed to investigate the use of 1.5-T whole-heart 3D coronary MRA employing a T2-prepared SSFP sequence for assessing epicardial coronary artery vasodilation following exogenous nitrates. Navigator-gated whole-heart 3D coronary MRA was performed before and after sublingual nitroglycerin (NTG) in 22 volunteers and a T2-prepared SSFP sequence was used for imaging of coronary arteries without MR contrast agent. Coronary cross-sectional area was measured on pre- and post-NTG images of equivalent coronary segments in the major coronary arteries and whole-heart coronary vasodilation was analyzed quantitatively. Measurements were obtained by two independent investigators. Coronary vasodilation could be observed directly on multiplanar reformatted and three-dimensional volume-rendered MR images. On quantitative analysis, NTG administration results in the whole-heart coronary vasodilation by an average of 37.3 ± 12.7%. There was moderate yet significant correlation between the NTG-induced vasodilation and age (r = -0.52, P = 0.02). The mean absolute cross-sectional area of the coronary arteries was significantly higher after sublingual NTG in all the major coronary arteries. The coronary area measurements had an interobserver variability of 8 ± 3% and an intraobserver variability of 4 ± 2%. Non-contrast-enhanced 1.5-T SSFP whole-heart coronary MRA can noninvasively measure endothelium-independent coronary vasodilation over the entire heart with high feasibility and is a promising noninvasive method to explore whole-heart coronary smooth muscle cell function following exogenous nitrates in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University and Shanghai Medical Imaging Institute, 180#, Feng Lin Road, Shanghai 200032, China. hangjin08@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Hang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Meng-Su
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Mei-Ying
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: Jian-Ying
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000286:Administration, Sublingual; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D005996:Nitroglycerin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015588:Observer Variation; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects*; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D005996:Nitroglycerin