Value of non-contrast sequences in magnetic resonance angiography of hepatic arterial vasculature.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate value of adding non-contrast MR angiographic sequence (In-Flow Inversion Recovery [IFIR]) to standard fat-suppressed T1-weighted postcontrast sequence (3D spoiled gradient echo [3D-GRE]) for evaluating hepatic arterial anatomy.


METHODS
Retrospective evaluation of 30 consecutive patients undergoing multiphase liver MRI. Individual vessels for IFIR/3D-GRE sequences were evaluated by two blinded readers using a four-point scale. Statistical analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test for vessel conspicuity between IFIR/3D-GRE sequences.


RESULTS
IFIR alone diagnostically imaged 8.1% of vessels, 3D-GRE alone 25.8%, 55.8% by both 3D-GRE/IFIR, and 10.3% of vessels by neither. Two patients with variant vascular anatomy were visualized with both sequences. Addition of IFIR to 3D-GRE resulted in statistically significant increase in arterial visualization (p<0.001), 10% relative increase in identified vessels, and 3-5 mi increase in acquisition time for total scan time of 30-35 min.


CONCLUSIONS
IFIR may be a useful adjunct to 3D-GRE in hepatic angiography without adding considerably to scan time. 10% more hepatic arteries were seen when combining information from IFIR/3D-GRE vs. 3D-GRE alone.
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Yale School of Medicine, Box 208042, Tompkins East 2, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520-8042, United States of America. Electronic address: vivek.kalra@yale.edu.
Vivek B
VB
Kalra
Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115, United States of America. Electronic address: jwgilbert@partners.org.
John W
JW
Gilbert
Department of Radiology, Columbia University Medical Center, Milstein 3rd Fl, New York NY 10032 United States. Electronic address: sk3552@columbia.edu.
Saravanan
S
Krishnamoorthy
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Yale School of Medicine, Box 208042, Tompkins East 2, 333 Cedar St, New Haven, CT 06520-8042, United States of America. Electronic address: daniel.cornfeld@yale.edu.
Daniel
D
Cornfeld
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D002648:Child; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
D003287:Contrast Media
Hepatic MR angiography; Hepatic angiography; IFIR