RATIONAL EXAMINATION OF THE GREATER ABDOMINAL VEINS WITH 2D-TOF-SEQUENCES AND TURBO-SPIN-ECHO-SEQUENCES

Purpose: Development of a fast and reliable protocol for the detection and exclusion of abdominal venous thrombosis with an optimised T-2-TS E- and 2D-TOF sequence. Material and method: Evaluation of the flow-vo id phenomenon with a flow phantom on a 1.5 and 0.5 Tesla system using different echo times. Examination of 22 patients with suspected abdomi nal shunt- or abdominal vein-thrombosis with a optimum T-2-TSE- and 2D -TOF sequence with a 1.5 or 0.5 Tesla system. Confirmation of thrombos is with contrast-enhanced computed tomography or digital subtraction a ngiography. Results: The most effective combination of strong flow-voi d phenomena, signal/noise ratio and scan time was found with the follo wing parameters: T-E 120 ms, T-R 2000 ms, 5 mm slice gap. In the patie nt group two complete and two partial thromboses were diagnosed with b oth sequences. One wrong positive thrombosis occurred in a stenotic an astomosis with the 2D-inflow sequence. Conclusion: With optimum parame ters the T-2-TSE sequence produces a strong ''flow-void'' phenomenon s uitable for ''black-blood''-MRA. The use of this sequence alone or in combination with 2D-inflow MRA, if ''bright-blood'' MRA is recommended , allows a reliable evaluation of thrombosis in abdominal veins withou t high-tech MRA equipment and contrast media.