Comparison of High Spatial Resolution Time-Resolved 3D Contrast-Enhanced MR Angiography

Phillip Matthew Young¹, James F. Glockner¹, Clifton R. Haider¹, Petrice M. Mostardi¹, Terri J. Vrtiska¹, Thanila A. Macedo¹, Stephen J. Riederer¹

10 patients were imaged using both CTA and high-resolution time-resolved MRA and images were compared for evaluation of below the knee arterial runoff. Although the study population is skewed because some patients were referred for MRA because of nondiagnostic CTA, MRA was not limited by calcification, inadequate arterial opacification, or venous contamination, all of which were problematic with CTA. Although SENSE reconstruction artifact was apparent on the MRA images, it did not interfere with image interpretation. Additionally, the time-resolved dataset acquired with MRA provided additional information about flow and perfusion which was not apparent with the CTA dataset.