MR-ANGIOGRAPHY OF THE RENAL-ARTERY - COMPARISON OF BREATH-HOLD 2-DIMENSIONAL PHASE-CONTRAST CINE TECHNIQUE WITH THE PHASED-ARRAY COIL AND BREATH-HOLD 2-DIMENSIONAL TIME-OF-FLIGHT TECHNIQUE WITH THE BODY COIL

Breath-hold 2D phase-contrast (PC) cine MR angiography with a phased-a rray coli and 2D time-of-flight (TOF) MR angiography were performed in the renal arteries and their findings were compared. Breath-hold 2D t hin slice PC and TOF MR angiography were performed in 10 normal volunt eers for renal arteries. A PC technique with k-space segmentation was utilized with the phased-array coil. A PC technique provided visualiza tion of the renal artery more distally than a TOF technique (4.8 +/- 0 .5 cm vs. 3.7 +/- 0.8 cm). With cardiac triggering, distal renal arter ies were well demonstrated in PC MR angiography. On PC images, up- or downward movements of the mid to distal renal arteries with aortic pul satility were recognized. The qualify of the images was better with th e PC than with the TOF technique (3.4 vs. 2.7). The mid to distal port ions of the renal arteries translationally move with aortic pulsatilit y. To consistently visualize and evaluate them on MR angiography, card iac triggering might he required to reduce the effects of pulsatile mo tions of the renal artery in the use of a phased-array coil. (C), 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.