Fat-Suppressed Non-Contrast-Enhanced MR Angiography of Thorax: Comparison Between Navigator-Gated SSFP and Respiratory-Gated TSE Imaging

Yasuo Amano¹, Katsuya Takahama¹, Yoshio Matsumura¹, Shinichiro Kumita¹

Two non-contrast-enhanced 3D MR angiography techniques of the thorax were compared: navigator-gated SSFP and respiratory-gated TSE. Fat-suppression and ECG gating were employed for both sequences. The 3D SSFP provided more homogenous vascular signal of aortic root and better visualization of coronary arteries with shorter scan time, and thus this imaging sequence may be the first choice of non-contrast-enhanced 3D MR angiography of thorax. The respiratory-gated 3D TSE can be a good alternative to the 3D SSFP when the fat-suppression inappropriately reduces vascular signals or patients complain of upper extremity ischemia, because of its less artifacts around the left subclavian artery.