High-resolution postcontrast time-of-flight MR angiography of intracranial perforators at 7.0 Tesla

• Published in: PloS one 2015-03, Vol.10 (3), p.e0121051-e0121051
• Main Authors: Harteveld, Anita A, De Cocker, Laurens J L, Dieleman, Nikki, van der Kolk, Anja G, Zwanenburg, Jaco J M, Robe, Pierre A, Luijten, Peter R, Hendrikse, Jeroen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Angiography; Arteries; Blood vessels; Cerebral Angiography - methods; Cerebral Arteries - pathology; Cerebrovascular Disorders - diagnosis; Contamination; Contrast Media; Design optimization; Female; Gadolinium; High resolution; Humans; Image contrast; Imaging, Three-Dimensional; Ionizing radiation; Magnetic Resonance Angiography - methods; Male; Medical imaging; Middle Aged; Patients; Perforating; Retrospective Studies; Studies; Veins & arteries; Visualization
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0121051

Different studies already demonstrated the benefits of 7T for precontrast TOF-MRA in the visualization of intracranial small vessels. The aim of this study was to assess the performance of high-resolution 7T TOF-MRA after the administration of a gadolinium-based contrast agent in visualizing intracranial perforating arteries. Ten consecutive patients (7 male; mean age, 50.4 ± 9.9 years) who received TOF-MRA at 7T after contrast administration were retrospectively included in this study. Intracranial perforating arteries, branching from the parent arteries of the circle of Willis, were identified on all TOF-MRA images. Provided a TOF-MRA before contrast administration was present, a direct comparison between pre- and postcontrast TOF-MRA was made. It was possible to visualize intracranial perforating arteries branching off from the entire circle of Willis, and their proximal branches. The posterior cerebral artery (P1 and proximal segment of P2) appeared to have the largest number of visible perforating branches (mean of 5.1 in each patient, with a range of 2-7). The basilar artery and middle cerebral artery (M1 and proximal segment M2) followed with a mean number of 5.0 and 3.5 visible perforating branches (range of 1-9 and 1-8, respectively). Venous contamination in the postcontrast scans sometimes made it difficult to discern the arterial or venous nature of a vessel. High-resolution postcontrast TOF-MRA at 7T was able to visualize multiple intracranial perforators branching off from various parts of the circle of Willis and proximal intracranial arteries. Although confirmation in a larger study is needed, the administration of a contrast agent for high-resolution TOF-MRA at 7T seems to enable a better visualization of the distal segment of certain intracranial perforators.