0.125 mm(3) spatial resolution steady-state MR angiography of the thighs with a blood pool contrast agent using the quadrature body coil only at 1.5 Tesla.
OBJECTIVE
To implement and evaluate high spatial resolution three-dimensional MR contrast-enhanced angiography (3D-CEMRA) of the thighs using a blood pool contrast agent (BPCA) using the quadrature body coil only in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) in cases receiver coils cannot be used at 1.5 Tesla (T).


METHODS
Nineteen patients (mean age: 68.7 ± 11.2 years; range, 38-83 years) with known PAOD (Fontaine stages; III: 16, IV: 3) prospectively underwent 3D-CEMRA at 1.5T with a noninterpolated voxel size of 0.49 × 0.49 × 0.48 mm(3) . Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) was available for comparison in all patients. Two readers independently evaluated movement artifacts, overall image quality of 3D-CEMRA, and grade of stenosis as compared to DSA. SNR and CNR levels were quantified.


RESULTS
The 3D-CEMRA was successfully completed in all patients. Patient movement artifacts that affected stenosis grading occurred in 3/38 thighs. Overall image quality was rated excellent in 15/38, good in 12/38, and diagnostic in 8/38 thighs. Stenosis grading matched with that in DSA in 35/38 thighs. High SNR and CNR were measured in all vessels.


CONCLUSIONS
The 0.125 mm(3) spatial resolution 3D-CEMRA of the thighs with a BPCA is feasible using a quadrature body coil exclusively with excellent image quality despite long acquisition times. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2014;40:996-1001. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
Jack M
JM
Boschewitz
Dariusch R
DR
Hadizadeh
Guido M
GM
Kukuk
Carsten
C
Meyer
Kai
K
Wilhelm
Arne
A
Koscielny
Frauke
F
Verrel
Jürgen
J
Gieseke
Hans H
HH
Schild
Winfried A
WA
Willinek
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D003287:Contrast Media; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013848:Thigh / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*
D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D005682:Gadolinium; C109932:gadofosveset trisodium
blood pool contrast agent; high-spatial resolution MRA; peripheral arterial occlusive disease