M. Stuber et al., Contrast agent-enhanced, free-breathing, three-dimensional coronary magnetic resonance angiography, J MAGN R I, 10(5), 1999, pp. 790-799
For free-breathing, high-resolution, three-dimensional coronary magnetic re
sonance angiography (MRA), the use of intravascular contrast agents may be
helpful far contrast enhancement between coronary blood and myocardium, In
six patients, 0.1 mmol/kg of the intravascular contrast agent M6-325/AngioM
ARK(TM) was given intravenously followed by double-oblique, free-breathing,
three-dimensional inversion-recovery coronary MRA with real-time navigator
gating and motion correction Contrast-enhanced, three-dimensional coronary
MRA images were compared with images obtained with a T2 prepulse (TaPrep)
without exogenous contrast. The contrast-enhanced images demonstrated a 69%
improvement in the contrast-to-noise ratio (6.6 +/- 1.1 vs, 11.1 +/- 2.5;
P < 0.01) compared with the T2Prep approach. By using the intravascular age
nt, extensive portions (> 80 mm) of the native left and right coronary syst
em could be displayed consistently with sub-millimeter in-plane resolution,
The intravascular contrast agent, MS-325/AngioMARK(TM), leads to a conside
rable enhancement of the blood/muscle contrast for coronary MRA compared wi
th T2Prep techniques. The clinical value of the agent remains to be defined
in a larger patient series. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.