Non Contrast Time-Resolved MRA Combining High Resolution Multiple Phase EPISTAR (CINEMA-STAR)

Masanobu Nakamura¹, Masami Yoneyama¹, Tomoyuki Okuaki¹, Takashi Tabuchi¹, Atsushi Takemura², Makoto Obara², Junko Ogura¹

Detailed information on anatomy and hemodynamics in cerebrovascular disorders such as AVM and Moyamoya disease is mandatory for defined diagnosis and treatment planning. Arterial spin labeling technique has come to be applied to MRA and perfusion imaging in recent years. Those non-contrast techniques are, however, mostly limited to a single frame images. Recently we have proposed non-contrast time-resolved MRA technique termed Contrast inherent inflow enhanced multi phase angiography combining spatial resolution Echo planar imaging based signal targeting and alternating radiofrequency (CINEMA-STAR). CINEMA-STAR can extract the blood flow in the major intracranial arteries at an interval of 50 ms and thus permitted us to observe vascular construction in full by preparing MIP images of axial acquisitions with 1.6 ~ 1.6 mm2 spatial resolution. This preliminary study demonstrated the usefulness of CINEMA-STAR technique in evaluating the cerebral vascularture.