Gadolinium enhanced three-dimensional magnetic resonance portography with subtraction

The aim was to evaluate a subtraction technique for breath-hold gadolinium enhanced three-dimensional magnetic resonance portography (3D-MRP). 26 pati ents with gastric and/or duodenal varices related to portal hypertension we re investigated by 3D-MRP with two phase acquisitions. A partial volume max imum intensity projection (MIP) image after subtracting selective arterial phase images from subsequent portal venous phase images (subtraction 3D-MRP ) was compared with the partial volume MIP without subtraction (non-subtrac tion 3D-MRP) to assess visualization of the portal vein and its collaterals . Subtraction 3D-MRP depicted excellent visualization of the portal vein, a lthough this was not significantly better than non-subtraction 3D-MRP. Howe ver, subtraction 3D-MRP gave superior visualization of portal collaterals, with effective suppression of arterial and renal signal intensities, compar ed with non-subtraction 3D-MRP (p<0.001).