High-Resolution Time-Resolved 3D Quantitative Flow MRI of Intracranial Vessels

Marco Piccirelli¹, Grard R. Crelier², Roger Luechinger¹, Sebastian Kozerke¹, Peter Boesiger¹

Hemodynamic data improve the understanding of vascular abnormalities. Intracranial arteries diseases are interlinked with abnormal flow patterns. However, the relative small size of these arteries requires acquisition of velocity information with high spatial resolution. We tested 3D quantitative flow MRI protocols for spatial resolution from 0.5-0.15mm3. Velocity profiles were compared for several cerebral arteries for all phases of the cardiac cycle. Our results indicate that time-resolved 3D quantitative flow measurements of the intracranial arteries is feasible with a spatial resolution down to 0.3mm3. Further, very small arteries such as the posterior communicating arteries were clearly visible.