MR-ANGIOGRAPHY OF SPINAL VASCULAR MALFORMATIONS

PURPOSE: To determine the potential and limitations of MR angiography in the evaluation of spinal vascular malformations. METHODS: Eleven co nsecutive patients with spinal vascular malformations proved with spin al selective arteriography underwent two-dimensional phase-contrast MR angiography. RESULTS: Abnormal vessels within the spinal canal were i dentified with MR angiography in 10 patients. In 1 patient with a dura l arteriovenous fistula no definite vascular abnormality was seen with MR angiography. Correlation of MR angiography with spinal selective a rteriography showed that the former allowed identification of the arte rial feeder in 3 patients with intramedullary arteriovenous malformati ons and 2 with perimedullary arteriovenous fistula, whereas the source of intradural draining vein was seen in only 2 of 6 patients with dur al arteriovenous fistula. CONCLUSION: MR angiography is a promising co mplementary tool to MR imaging for detection and characterization of s pinal vascular malformations.