High-resolution MR venography at 3.0 Tesla

Citation
Jr. Reichenbach et al., High-resolution MR venography at 3.0 Tesla, J COMPUT AS, 24(6), 2000, pp. 949-957
Citations number
42
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Radiology ,Nuclear Medicine & Imaging","Medical Research Diagnosis & Treatment
Journal title
JOURNAL OF COMPUTER ASSISTED TOMOGRAPHY
ISSN journal
0363-8715 → ACNP
Volume
24
Issue
6
Year of publication
2000
Pages
949 - 957
Database
ISI
SICI code
0363-8715(200011/12)24:6<949:HMVA3T>2.0.ZU;2-Z
Abstract
Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the visualization of smal l venous vessels in the normal human brain at a field strength of 3 Tesla. Methods: T2*-weighted, three-dimensional gradient-echo images were acquired by exploiting the magnetic susceptibility difference between oxygenated an d deoxygenated hemoglobin in the vasculature and microvasculature. The spat ial resolution was 0.5 x 0.5 x 1 mm(3), and sequence parameters were varied to obtain good vessel delineation. Improved visibility of venous vessels w as obtained by creating phase mask images from the magnetic resonance phase images and multiplying these by the magnitude images. Venograms were creat ed by performing a minimum intensity projection over targeted volumes. Results: Highly detailed visualization of venous structures deep in the bra in and in the superficial cortical areas were obtained without administrati on of an exogenous contrast agent; compared with similar studies performed at 1.5 T, the echo time could be reduced from typically 40-50 ms to 17-28 m s. Conclusion: Imaging at high-field strength offers the possibility of improv ed resolution and the delineation of smaller vessels compared with lower fi eld strengths.