PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - K Mandai
AU  - K Sueyoshi
AU  - R Fukunaga
AU  - M Nukada
AU  - F Ohtani
AU  - Y Araki
AU  - I Tsukaguchi
AU  - H Abe
TI  - Acetazolamide challenge for three-dimensional time-of-flight MR angiography of the brain.
DP  - 1994 Apr 01
TA  - American Journal of Neuroradiology
PG  - 659--665
VI  - 15
IP  - 4
4099  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/15/4/659.short
4100  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/15/4/659.full
SO  - Am. J. Neuroradiol.1994 Apr 01; 15
AB  - PURPOSE We compared three-dimensional time-of-flight MR angiograms obtained before and after acetazolamide administration to evaluate whether use of this drug could improve visualization of small peripheral intracranial arteries and atherosclerotic stenosis. METHODS For evaluation of small peripheral arteries, 10 patients with clinical diagnosis of ischemic cerebrovascular disease and 10 healthy volunteers were investigated, and for evaluation of stenosis, another 6 patients were investigated. Vascular images were obtained by three-dimensional time-of-flight MR angiography. After a baseline scan, 17 mg/kg acetazolamide was injected intravenously and the second scan was performed 20 minutes later. RESULTS Several small peripheral arteries that had not been seen on the baseline images were visible on the acetazolamide images without any augmentation of the background signals. Stenotic lesions in the main trunks of the major cerebral arteries were detected more clearly on acetazolamide images. CONCLUSIONS Acetazolamide improves visualization of small peripheral intracranial arteries and sensitivity in detecting atherosclerotic stenosis in the main trunk of major cerebral artery by three-dimensional time-of-flight MR angiography without changing MR apparatus and software.