Contrast-enhanced MR angiography of abdominal vessels using a 1.0 T system.

To evaluate the efficacy of breath-hold, three-dimensional, contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography with a 1.0 T system for imaging the abdominal vessels in comparison to conventional arteriography (CA). Methods: The abdominal aorta and visceral arteries were studied in 54 patients (60 examinations) on a 1.0 T scanner using an ultrafast gadolinium-enhanced gradient-echo sequence with the following parameters: TR / TE = 3.8 / 1.4 ms, flip angel 25 degrees, matrix 198x256, field 380-420 mm, pixel size 1.9 x 1.48 mm(2), slice thickness 1.5 - 2.5 mm, acquisition time 22 - 26 sec. Individual circulation times were determined by a test bolus before each MR angiography. Conventional arteriography was performed in 23 of the 60 cases. Results: 172 vessel segments of 23 MR angiographies were compared with CA, sensitivity and specificity were 96.4% and 97.2%. Overestimations of stenoses or occlusions (n = 4) were caused by the limited resolution of small vessel branches and one stent artifact. Conclusion: Contrast-enhanced MR angiography of the abdominal vessels may replace invasive digital subtraction angiography in certain cases like perioperative or peri-interventional diagnostics. Imaging of small peripheral vessels remains a problem and limits use of the method.