J. Link et al., Iliofemoral arterial occlusive disease: Contrast-enhanced MR angiography for preinterventional evaluation and follow-up after stent placement, RADIOLOGY, 212(2), 1999, pp. 371-377
Citations number
22
Categorie Soggetti
Radiology ,Nuclear Medicine & Imaging","Medical Research Diagnosis & Treatment
PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of contrast material-enhanced magnetic re
sonance (MR) angiography for the diagnosis of peripheral arterial occlusion
and follow-up after stent placement.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-seven patients (21 women, 46 men; mean age, 64
.6 years) were examined. Digital subtraction angiography and contrast-enhan
ced MR angiography were performed in 28 patients for preinterventional eval
uation of iliofemoral arterial occlusion and in 39 patients for follow-up a
fter stent placement in the iliac or femoral arteries, which had been perfo
rmed several months before.
RESULTS: All 24 occlusions were correctly diagnosed with contrast-enhanced
MR angiography. Of the 59 stenoses, 36 were greater than 50% and 23 were 50
% or less. Sensitivity and specificity for the detection of stenoses greate
r than 50% were 100% and 83%, respectively. Patency of the different stents
was determined correctly with contrast-enhanced MR, angiography. Some sten
ts caused signal intensity dropout, which made MR evaluation of stents diff
icult. Generally, these signal intensity artifacts were most severe in stai
nless steel stents and mild in some nitinol stents.
CONCLUSION: Contrast enhanced MR angiography is comparable to digital subtr
action angiography for the detection of stenosis greater than 50% and occlu
sion in the iliofemoral arteries. Stent patency can be determined, but cont
rast-enhanced MR angiography is not suitable for stent evaluation owing to
signal intensity dropout; however, it provides information about the vascul
ar anatomic areas proximal and distal to the stent.