Advanced

AJNR - American Journal of Neuroradiology

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Tsuchiya, K. Articles by Shiokawa, Y. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Tsuchiya, K. Articles by Shiokawa, Y.

American Journal of Neuroradiology 26:2243-2247, October 2005
© 2005 American Society of Neuroradiology

BRAIN

Postoperative Assessment of Extracranial–Intracranial Bypass by Time-Resolved 3D Contrast-Enhanced MR Angiography Using Parallel Imaging

Kazuhiro Tsuchiya^a, Keita Honya^a, Akira Fujikawa^a, Hidekatsu Tateishi^b and Yoshiaki Shiokawa^b

^a Department of Radiology, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
^b Department of Neurosurgery, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

Address correspondence to Kazuhiro Tsuchiya, MD, Department of Radiology, Kyorin University School of Medicine, 6-20-2, Shinkawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8611, Japan

PURPOSE: Our goals were to assess image quality of time-resolved contrast-enhanced MR angiography (CE MRA), by using 3D data acquisition along with a parallel imaging technique that can improve temporal resolution and to compare this technique with 3D-time-of-flight (TOF) MRA in the postoperative assessment of extracranial (EC)–intracranial (IC) bypass surgery.

METHODS: On a 1.5T imaging system, we performed CE MRA by using a 3D fast field-echo sequence in combination with a parallel imaging technique, to obtain images in the coronal plane centered at the postoperative site. Our patient group comprised 17 patients, including 13 after superficial temporal artery–middle cerebral artery (MCA) anastomosis, 3 after external carotid artery-MCA anastomosis, and one after extracranial vertebral artery–posterior cerebral artery anastomosis. Visualization of the anastomosis and the distal flow on the CE-MRA images was assessed comparatively with that on 3D-TOF MR angiograms obtained at the same time. In 6 patients, we also compared the efficiency of visualization on CE-MRA images with that on conventional angiograms.

RESULTS: A temporal resolution of 0.8 s/frame could be achieved with the technique employed. The bypass was better demonstrated postoperatively on CE-MRA images than on 3D-TOF MR angiograms in 13 patients (76%), whereas the 2 methods were equivalent in 4 patients (24%). Good correspondence of results was observed in the 6 patients for whom CE MRA and conventional digital subtraction angiography (DSA) images were compared.

CONCLUSION: CE MRA by using the parallel imaging technique can increase image acquisition speed with sufficient image quality. This technique is at least equivalent to 3D-TOF MRA to evaluate the postoperative status of EC-IC bypass.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R.P. Lim, M. Shapiro, E.Y. Wang, M. Law, J.S. Babb, L.E. Rueff, J.S. Jacob, S. Kim, R.H. Carson, T.P. Mulholland, et al. 3D Time-Resolved MR Angiography (MRA) of the Carotid Arteries with Time-Resolved Imaging with Stochastic Trajectories: Comparison with 3D Contrast-Enhanced Bolus-Chase MRA and 3D Time-Of-Flight MRA AJNR Am. J. Neuroradiol., November 1, 2008; 29(10): 1847 - 1854. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]