Table-feed gadolinium-enhance MR angiography of the lower extremity arteries. Imaging with a dedicated peripheral vascular coil system. Preliminary experience

Purpose: To evaluate contrast enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (ceMR A) of the pelvic and peripheral arteries with a dedicated peripheral vascul ar coil system and automated table-feed technique in patients with arterial occlusive disease. Methods: Three-dimensional gadolinium-enhanced MR angio graphy in a two-step automatic table feed technique was performed in 45 pat ients using a 1.5 Tesla imager (Magnetom Symphony, Siemens). The pelvic art eries were imaged with a single injection of contrast material. The upper a nd the lower leg were imaged with a second injection of contrast material i n an automated table feed technique using a dedicated vascular coil system. In 20 patients ceMRA was compared with digital subtraction angiography (DS A) as the standard of reference and in 25 patients ceMRA was performed sole ly. Results: Sensitivity and specificity for grading significant stenoses g reater than or equal to 50% and occlusions (in parenthesis) were in the pel vic arteries 94.7%, 96.8%, (100%, 100%), in the arteries of the upper leg 9 2.3%, 93.3% (87.5%, 100%) and in the arteries of the lower leg 96.5%, 95.8% , (95.2%, 96.8%), respectively. Depiction of the runoff vessels of the lowe r leg was excellent in ceMRA. CeMRA was of diagnostic quality in all the pa tients. Conclusion: Contrast-enhanced MRA using a dedicated peripheral vasc ular coil system increases the diagnostic quality of the lower leg. The run off vessels can be evaluated. Thus, ceMRA in the presented technique is a d iagnostic alternative to arterial angiography.