BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Zero TE-MRA is less sensitive to field heterogeneity, complex flow, and acquisition noise. This study aimed to prospectively validate the feasibility of zero TE-MRA for cerebrovascular diseases assessment, compared with TOF-MRA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy patients suspected of having cerebrovascular disorders were recruited. Sound levels were estimated for each MRA subjectively and objectively in different modes. MRA image quality was estimated by 2 neuroradiologists. The degree of stenosis (grades 0-4) and the z-diameter of aneurysms (tiny group Յ3 mm and large group Ͼ3 mm) were measured for further quantitative analysis. CTA was used as the criterion standard. RESULTS: Zero TE-MRA achieved significantly lower subjective perception and objective noise reduction (37.53%). Zero TE-MRA images showed higher signal homogeneity (3.29 Ϯ 0.59 versus 3.04 Ϯ 0.43) and quality of venous signal suppression (3.67 Ϯ 0.47 versus 2.75 Ϯ 0.46). The intermodality agreement was higher for zero TE-MRA than for TOF-MRA (zero TE, 0.90; TOF, 0.81) in the grading of stenosis. Zero TE-MRA had a higher correlation than TOF-MRA (zero TE, 0.84; TOF, 0.74) in the tiny group and a higher consistency with CTA (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.83; intercept, Ϫ0.5084-1.1794; slope Ϫ0.4952 to Ϫ0.2093) than TOF-MRA (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.64; intercept, 0.7000-2.6133; slope Ϫ1.0344 to Ϫ0.1923). Zero TE-MRA and TOF-MRA were comparable in the large group. Zero TE-MRA had more accurate details than TOF-MRA of AVM and Moyamoya lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with TOF-MRA, zero TE-MRA achieved more robust performance in depicting cerebrovascular diseases. Therefore, zero TE-MRA was shown to be a promising MRA technique for further routine application in the clinic in patients with cerebrovascular diseases. ABBREVIATIONS: ASL ϭ arterial spin-labeling; AVM ϭ arteriovenous malformation; MRA ϭ magnetic resonance angiography; CTA ϭ computed tomography angiography; CE ϭ contrast-enhanced; TOF ϭ time-of-flight; zTE ϭ zero echo time; MIP ϭ maximum intensity projection; VR ϭ volume rendering; MCA ϭ middle cerebral artery; ICA ϭ internal carotid artery
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:Atherosclerosis is a systemic disease that has been shown to cause various cardiovascular diseases and stroke. However, technologies to evaluate the volume of atherosclerotic plaque are limited. We present a method for determination of 3D plaque volume based on RA.
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