Non-Contrast MR Angiography of the Subclavian Arterial Branch Using 3D Half-Fourier FSE with Time-SLIP

Jun Isogai¹, Mitsue Miyazaki², Takeshi Shimada¹, Hideo Hatakeyama¹, Takashi Yamada¹, Tomoko Miyata³, Kenji Yodo³, Ken Kudou³

Visualization of the subclavian arterial branches is quite difficult using conventional nonenhanced time-of-flight MR angiography due to the tortuous arterial trees and small vessels. Gadolinium-enhanced MRA also has several problems with injection rates, the amount of contrast material, and venous superimposition. Due to the recent concerns of Gadolinium-related Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF), nonenhanced MRA solutions have gained interest. Visualization of small arteries of the subclavian arterial branches was investigated using 3D half-Fourier FSE images combined with time-spatial labeling inversion pulse (time-SLIP).