Utilizing SENSE to achieve lower station sub-millimeter isotropic resolution and minimal venous enhancement in peripheral MR angiography

• Published in: Journal of magnetic resonance imaging 2002-04, Vol.15 (4), p.484-491
• Main Authors: Maki, Jeffrey H., Wilson, Gregory J., Eubank, William B., Hoogeveen, Romhild M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: contrast enhancement; fast scan techniques; Humans; magnetic resonance angiography; Magnetic Resonance Angiography - methods; peripheral vascular disease; Peripheral Vascular Diseases - diagnosis
• ISSN: 1053-1807; 1522-2586
• DOI: 10.1002/jmri.10079

Purpose To use the parallel imaging technique, sensitivity encoding (SENSE), to increase spatial resolution and decrease venous contamination in peripheral magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). Materials and Methods Moving table, single‐bolus peripheral contrast‐enchanced (CE) ‐MRA was performed on nine patients. Manual table movement combined with SENSE in the upper station allowed for more rapid overall scan coverage such that acquisition of the lower station began 34 seconds after aortic contrast arrival. True sub‐ millimeter isotropic resolution was achieved in the lower station. Results Diagnostic MR angiograms of all three stations were obtained in all nine patients. Venous enhancement did not confound interpretation in any case. Sub‐millimeter lower station resolution provided excellent vascular detail. Conclusion Decreased delay time between upper and lower station acquisition in single bolus peripheral MR angiograms, now possible using parallel imaging techniques, combined with lower station sub‐millimeter resolution may decrease venous contamination and increase overall interpretability, thus increasing clinical acceptance of peripheral MRA. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2002;15:484–491. Published 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.