Inferior phrenic arteries: Depiction with thin-section three-dimensional contrast-enhanced dynamic MR imaging with fat suppression

The purpose of this study was to evaluate visibility of the inferior phreni c arteries in normal subjects at thin-section, multiphasic, three-dimension al (3D) contrast-enhanced dynamic magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with fat suppression, and to compare the appearances and frequencies of MR visualiza tion of these vessels between normal and cirrhotic patients. This study inc luded 95 patients (44 normal and 51 cirrhotic patients) who underwent 3D co ntrast-enhanced dynamic imaging on a high-performance gradient (25 mT/m) sy stem as a part of abdominal MR examinations. The right and left inferior ph renic arteries were visible in 84% and 73% of the normal subjects, respecti vely. The averaged rating for visibility in the right inferior phrenic arte ry was significantly greater in the cirrhotic patients than in the normal s ubjects (2.1 +/- 0.1 vs. 1.7 +/- 0.2; P = 0.040). Mean diameters of the rig ht inferior phrenic artery in the cirrhotic patients (1.7 +/- 0.1 mm.) were significantly larger (P = 0.002) than those in the normal subjects (1.3 +/ - 0.1 nun). No significant difference was noted in the mean diameters and t he visibility of the left inferior phrenic artery between the two groups. T he inferior phrenic arteries can frequently be identified on thin-section, 3D contrast-enhanced arterial-phase dynamic MR images with fat-suppression techniques. Dilatation of the right inferior phrenic artery depicted by thi s technique may be a nonspecific but an additional secondary finding sugges tive of cirrhosis. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.