Erik John Offerman1, Philip Anthony Hodnett,
12, Robert R. Edelman1, Ioannis Koktzoglou1
1Department of Radiology, Northshore
University Healthsystem, Evanston, IL, United States; 2Department
of Radiology, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL, United States
The
link between NSF and Gadolinium has renewed interest in unenhanced MRA
techniques that can match the diagnostic potential of contrast-enhanced
MRA. Predominant peripheral MRA
techniques are evaluated in a 50% stenotic triphasic flow phantom. The techniques are compared by measuring
the signal within the stenosis and observing coronal thin MIPs at select flow
velocities. The performance of the
techniques is dependent on the peak systolic flow velocity of the
waveform. Each technique exhibited
signal dropout in the area of stenosis at different velocities, and some
experienced dropout proximal and distal to the stenosis. Signal vs. flow velocity trend differed
between 50% and no stenosis conditions.