title: Contrast-enhanced pulmonary MRA for the primary diagnosis of pulmonary embolism: current state of the art and future directions.
abstract: CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) is currently considered the imaging standard of care for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE). Recent advances in contrast-enhanced pulmonary MR angiography (MRA) techniques have led to increased use of this modality for the detection of PE in the proper clinical setting. This review is intended to provide an introduction to the state-of-the-art techniques used in pulmonary MRA for the detection of PE and to discuss possible future directions for this modality. This review discusses the following issues pertinent to MRA for the diagnosis of PE: (1) the diagnostic efficacy and clinical effectiveness for pulmonary MRA relative to CTPA, (2) the different pulmonary MRA techniques used for the detection of PE, (3) guidance for building a clinical service at their institution using MRA and (4) future directions of PE MRA. Our principal aim was to show how pulmonary MRA can be used as a safe, effective modality for the diagnosis of clinically significant PE, particularly for those patients where there are concerns about ionizing radiation or contraindications/allergies to the iodinated contrast material.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Donald G
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3743-1608
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Benson
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Mark L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Schiebler
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.|2 Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Repplinger
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: François
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.|3 Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.|4 Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Grist
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.|2 Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.|3 Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.|4 Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.|5 Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Scott B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Reeder
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.|3 Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.|6 Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Scott K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Nagle
mesh_terms: D003287:Contrast Media; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media