Evaluation of breath-hold contrast-enhanced 3D magnetic resonance angiography technique for imaging visceral abdominal arteries and veins

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES. TO evaluate the diagnostic value of breath-hold contrast-enhanced 3D magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) for assessment of the visceral abdominal arteries and veins in patients with suspected abdominal neoplasms. METHODS. Twenty-one patients underwent MR imaging on a 1.5 T unit using a body phased-array coil, MRA was performed with a 3D-FLASH sequence (TR 3.8 ms, TE 1.3 ms, flip angle 25 degrees, acquisition time 20 seconds), 8 to 12 seconds after an intravenous bolus injection of Gd-DTPA. The acquisition delay between the arterial and the portal venous phase was 12 seconds. The image quality and the degree of vascular involvement were evaluated using coronal source images and maximum intensity projection reconstructions. Diagnosis was confirmed by surgery/histology. RESULTS. Image quality was optimal in more than 85% of the patients (19/21 arterial phase and 17/21 portal venous phase). MRA correctly predicted vascular status in 20 of 21 patients (95%), with complete concordance between MRA results and surgical findings. In one patient with chronic pancreatitis, MRA demonstrated a false-positive finding that could not be confirmed surgically. CONCLUSIONS. Breath-hold contrast-enhanced 3D-MRA is a valuable technique for assessing visceral abdominal arteries and veins.