Abstract
Purpose. The aim of the present work was to test the feasibility of the time-resolved MR-angiography (TWIST-MRA) of cervical arteries using double bolus injection. Material and Methods. TWIST-MRA with a temporal resolution of 8.4 seconds for each frame and a spatial resolution with a voxel size of 0.61 × 0.58 × 0.8 mm3 was performed in 24 patients. A biphasic bolus injection protocol was used with the second injection being started 21 seconds after the first contrast dye bolus. Diagnostic image quality was rated according to a 4-point scale. Results. In 12 patients (50%) no clear separation between the cervical venous and arterial vessels was evident after the first bolus injection. Using TWIST-MRA data acquired after the second bolus a sufficient diagnostic image quality (rating ≥3, mean 3.5) could be obtained in 22 of 24 patients (92%). Discussion. The double bolus injection protocol using TWIST-MRA allows for very good separation of the cervical arteries.
Highlights
Conventional 3D contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (3D-CE-MRA) is used for the assessment of the cervical arteries in routine clinical settings [1]
The aim of the present work was to test the feasibility of the time-resolved MR-angiography (TWIST-MRA) of cervical arteries using double bolus injection
TWIST-MRA with a temporal resolution of 8.4 seconds for each frame and a spatial resolution with a voxel size of 0.61 × 0.58 × 0.8 mm3 was performed in 24 patients
Summary
Conventional 3D contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (3D-CE-MRA) is used for the assessment of the cervical arteries in routine clinical settings [1]. This technique requires exact timing of contrast injection and data acquisition to obtain selective arterial contrast for the assessment of the arterial tree. The quality of 3D-CE-MRA images depend strongly on a sufficiently high concentration of contrast agent in the arteries while acquiring central k-space data. If data acquisition of central k space coincides with arrival of the contrast medium in cervical arteries, images with selective arterial contrast without venous contamination are acquired [2].
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