Noncontrast 3D Steady State Free Precession Magnetic Resonance Angiography of the Thoracic Central Veins Using Nonselective Radiofrequency Excitation Over a Large Field of View

Abstract

To evaluate the feasibility of three-dimensional (3D) steady state free precession (SSFP) magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) using nonselective radiofrequency excitation for the assessment of thoracic central veins. Thirty consecutive patients (17 males, 13 females, age range 22-76) with various cardiac and thoracic vascular diseases underwent free-breathing electrocardiogram-gated noncontrast SSFP MRA and conventional high-resolution 3D contrast-enhanced (CE) MRA of the thorax at 1.5 T. Two readers evaluated both datasets for findings: venous visibility and sharpness (from 0, not visualized to 3, excellent definition); artifacts; signal-to-noise ratio (SNR); and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) in 8 venous segments including superior vena cava (SVC), supra-diaphragmatic inferior vena cava, bilateral brachiocephalic, proximal subclavian, and lower internal jugular veins. Statistical analysis was performed using Wilcoxon test for overall image quality and vessel visibility, t test for SNR and CNR analysis, and kappa coefficient for inter-observer variability. 3D SSFP and CE-MRA were successfully performed in all patients. Scan time for SSFP MRA ranged from 5 to 10 minutes (mean +/- standard deviation, 7 +/- 2 minutes). Reader 1 (2) graded the overall image quality as excellent and good on SSFP MRA in 23 (25) and 7 (5) patients, and on CE-MRA in 22 (23) and 8 (9) patients, respectively. On SSFP MRA, readers 1 and 2 graded 234 (97.5%) and 233 (97.1%) venous segments with diagnostic definition (grades 2 and 3) (kappa = 0.69), respectively. On conventional CE-MRA, readers 1 and 2 graded 231 (96.3%) and 232 (96.7%) venous segments with diagnostic definition (grades 2 and 3) (kappa = 0.68), respectively. Segmental visibility and sharpness were higher for lower internal jugular veins on CE-MRA for each reader (P < 0.001). No significant difference existed for venous visibility and sharpness scores for other venous segments between the 2 techniques for both readers (P > 0.05). SNR and CNR values were lower for internal jugular veins on SSFP MRA (P < 0.001). No significant difference existed between SNR and CNR values for the other venous segments on SSFP and CE-MRA (P > 0.05 for all). The 2 readers demonstrated patent SVC Glenn shunt to main pulmonary artery (n = 3), patent extra cardiac Fontan shunt from inferior vena cava to pulmonary artery confluence (n = 2), and dilatation and thrombosis of SVC (n = 1) and right brachiocephalic vein (n = 1) on both datasets. Free breathing navigator-gated noncontrast 3D SSFP MRA with nonselective radiofrequency excitation provides high image quality and sufficient SNR and CNR for confident evaluation of thoracic central veins.