Acquired diseases of the thoracic aorta: role of MRI and MRA

Diseases of the thoracic aorta can present with a broad clinical spectrum of symptoms and signs. Their prevalence appears to be increasing in western populations, most likely corresponding to aging and heightened clinical awareness but also influenced by the progress of high-resolution, noninvasive...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:European radiology 2006-04, Vol.16 (4), p.852-865
Main Authors: Russo, Vincenzo, Renzulli, Matteo, Buttazzi, Katia, Fattori, Rossella
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aneurysms
Angiography
Aorta
Aorta, Thoracic
Aortic Diseases - diagnosis
Aortic dissection
Cardiovascular system
Contrast agents
Contrast Media
Coronary vessels
Disease
Flow velocity
Humans
Image acquisition
Image contrast
Image enhancement
Image resolution
Magnetic Resonance Angiography
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Medical imaging
Phase contrast
Thorax
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Diseases of the thoracic aorta can present with a broad clinical spectrum of symptoms and signs. Their prevalence appears to be increasing in western populations, most likely corresponding to aging and heightened clinical awareness but also influenced by the progress of high-resolution, noninvasive imaging modalities. Among them, MRI provides an excellent visualization of vascular structures and is well suited for evaluation of thoracic aorta disease. Currently, in many centers, noninvasive imaging modalities are the first choice in the cardiovascular system evaluation and diagnosis, reserving conventional angiography for use only before therapeutic intervention. Understanding the principle MRA techniques is essential for acquiring consistent diagnostic images. Basic technical considerations, which include fast spin-echo, fast gradient-echo, and MRA techniques with phase contrast and contrast-enhanced methods, are discussed and applied in the evaluation of acquired thoracic aorta diseases.
ISSN:0938-7994
1432-1084
DOI:10.1007/s00330-005-0028-x