title: Non-Contrast Renal MR Angiography: Value of Subtraction of Tagging and Non-Tagging Technique.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to examine the usefulness of the subtraction technique of non-contrast renal magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) between tagged and non-tagged data collection.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed renal MRA on eleven healthy volunteers using a 3T MRI unit. For renal MRA, a three dimensional balanced type steady-state free precession (SSFP) sequence (True FISP, Siemens) was used with diaphragmatic navigator gating. We tried to acquire selective arterial images by subtracting black-blood images (tagged images, on which arterial longitudinal magnetization was nearly zero by selective inversion of upper-stream aortic flow) from bright-blood images (non-tagged images, on which arterial flow is bright due to inflow effect). For analysis, two radiologists independently evaluated the visual quality of the axial and coronal targeted maximum intensity projection images (MIP) of original bright-blood MRA and subtraction MRA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Visualization of the main stem of the renal arteries and their 1st branches were satisfactory on both techniques, and there was no statistically significant difference. The score of 2nd branch appeared superior with the subtraction method, but only the right side showed a statistically significant difference (P <0.01). Visualization of small intraparenchymal arteries was significantly superior with subtraction method on both sides.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We tried to improve selective demonstration of renal arterial branches using subtraction technique. Although full sequence optimization was not performed, this pilot study showed this technique to be slightly time-consuming but superior in visualization of peripheral branches and possibly more sensitive in detecting small vessel abnormalities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic, Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Gunma University School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan.
authors.forename: Takehiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amanuma
authors.forename: Ayako
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Yoshito
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tsushima
keywords: 3T MRI; SSFP imaging; magnetic resonance angiography (MRA); non-contrast technique; renal artery
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