Nonenhanced ECG-gated time-resolved 4D steady-state free precession (SSFP) MR angiography (MRA) of cerebral arteries: Comparison at 1.5 T and 3 T

作者：Lanzman R S^*; Kroepil P; Schmitt P; Wittsack H J; Orzechowski D; Kuhlemann J; Buchbender C; Miese F R; Antoch G; Blondin D

来源：European Journal of Radiology, 2012, 81(4): E531-E535.

DOI：10.1016/j.ejrad.2011.06.044

• Nonenhanced MRA
• Steady-state free precession (SSFP)
• 3 T
• Cerebral artery

Purpose: To compare image quality of nonenhanced time-resolved 4D steady-state free precession MR angiography (4D SSFP MRA) of cerebral arteries at 1.5 T and 3 T. %26lt;br%26gt;Materials and methods: 12 healthy subjects (mean age 29.4 +/- 6.9 years) were studied at both 1.5 T and 3 T. Two different positions of the acquisition slab were evaluated; in one acquisition the imaging slab included the carotid siphon (%26quot;S-low%26quot;), in the other acquisition the imaging slab was placed superior to the carotid siphon (%26quot;S-high%26quot;). Subjective image quality of cerebral arteries was assessed independently by two readers on a 4-point scale. Relative Signal-to-Noise-Ratio (SNR) was determined for the M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery. %26lt;br%26gt;Results: Subjective image quality of the anterior cerebral artery (segments A1, A2) was significantly higher at 1.5 T as compared to 3 T, while 3 T provided significantly higher image quality for segment P3 of the posterior cerebral artery. For the middle cerebral artery (segments M1-M3), image quality was significantly higher at 1.5 T than at 3 T when the carotid siphon was included in the acquisition slab (%26quot;S-low%26quot;), while no significant difference was found between 1.5 T and 3 T with %26quot;S-high%26quot;. Relative SNR was significantly higher at 1.5 T (23.1 +/- 5.1) as compared to 3 T (12.1 +/- 7.8) for %26quot;S-low%26quot; and significantly higher at 3 T (29.8 +/- 5.9) than at 1.5 T (24.2 +/- 3.6) for %26quot;S-high%26quot;. %26lt;br%26gt;Conclusion: Our results indicate that 4D SSFP MRA should preferably be performed at 1.5 T with inclusion of the carotid siphon in the acquisition slab, which might be required for the assessment of intracranial collateral flow.

• 出版日期2012-4