Peripheral vascular tree stenoses: evaluation with moving-bed infusion-tracking MR angiography.

Abstract

To evaluate a magnetic resonance (MR) angiographic technique for imaging of the peripheral arteries with gadolinium enhancement. Moving-bed infusion-tracking MR angiograms were obtained in 15 healthy volunteers and in 28 patients with intermittent claudication before and during slow infusion of contrast material. Lower- and upper-leg and pelvic regions were imaged. Unenhanced images were subtracted from gadolinium-enhanced images, and maximum intensity projection images were generated. Image quality was evaluated subjectively and objectively, and maximum intensity projection images were compared with conventional angiograms, which served as the standard of reference. Moving-bed infusion-tracking MR angiography proved to be a robust technique, and image quality on maximum intensity projection images was comparable with that on conventional angiograms. Sensitivity and specificity for grading hemodynamically significant stenoses were 93% and 98%, respectively, with excellent interobserver agreement. Moving-bed infusion-tracking MR angiography can be used to image all peripheral arteries in 4 minutes by using a small amount of contrast material and a conventional 1.5-T MR imager.