MAGNETIC-RESONANCE ANGIOGRAPHY OF MESENTERIC-ARTERIES - A REVIEW

There has been continued development of MRI techniques for evaluating mesenteric vascular disease. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angi ography (MRA) can provide reproducible high resolution, high contrast images of the arterial and venous mesenteric vasculature and may allow detection of segmental ischemia by detection of segmental delayed mes enteric or bowel wall enhancement. Cine phase-contrast MRA can provide additional information about the rate and volume of dow within the ma jor mesenteric arteries and veins. Real-time MRI can provide interacti ve visualization of the mesenteric vessels in any plane, and with suit able bowel contrast, it can be used to monitor global and segmental sm all bowel motility. With in vivo MR oximetry, dow independent measurem ents of the T2 relaxation of blood allow the oxygen saturation of the mesenteric circulation to be determined. These MR techniques can be co mbined for evaluating both anatomic and functional aspects of the mese nteric circulation.