ROLE OF MR-IMAGING IN THE PREOPERATIVE EVALUATION OF ATHEROSCLEROTIC ABDOMINAL AORTIC-ANEURYSMS

A prospective study was performed on 69 patients with an atherosclerot ic abdominal aortic aneurysm to assess the preoperative value of magne tic resonance (MR) imaging compared with that of angiography and ultra sound (US). The results of MR imaging, angiography, and US were separa tely interpreted by one observer independently, without knowledge of t he results from the other imaging modalities. The individual radiologi c report from each imaging modality was compared with surgical finding s, which served as a standard of reference. Both T1-weighted spin-echo (1.5-T) and gradient-echo sequences with three-dimensional maximum in tensity projections of the renal arteries were used. In the assessment of the extent of the aneurysm, MR and angiographic findings were equa l. In 92% of the patients, MR imaging helped identify the correct numb er of renal arteries. MR imaging is better than angiography because it provides important additional information, it is an outpatient proced ure, and the complications are few.