Thoracic Aortic Dissection and Aneurysm: Evaluation with Nonenhanced True FISP MR Angiography in Less than 4 Minutes

Abstract

Comprehensive aortic magnetic resonance (MR) examinations currently include multiple nonenhanced and contrast material-enhanced sequences. The authors hypothesized that the nonenhanced true fast imaging with steady-state precession (FISP) portion alone of their comprehensive imaging protocol would be adequate to confidently confirm or exclude dissection or aneurysm of the aorta. In a retrospective review of 29 comprehensive thoracic aortic MR examinations, nonenhanced true FISP MR imaging alone was 100% accurate for determining the presence or absence of dissection or aneurysm.

Visualization of deep veins and detection of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) with balanced turbo field echo (b‐TFE) and contrast‐enhanced T1 fast field echo (CE‐FFE) using a blood pool agent (BPA)

“…This problem may be overcome by the use of larger coverage coils allowing continuous acquisition of the lower limbs. Previous work on balanced SSFP variants in cardiovascular imaging has shown promising preliminary results for visualization of both venous and arterial vasculature, including aortic, coronary, and peripheral angiography (9,(14)(15)(16). Reports on detection of DVT also include portal and central vein thrombosis (17,18).…”

“…Four patients had DVT of the right limb, and mean symptom duration was 8.3 days (range, [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]. Figure 3 shows examples of patients with DVT and direct and indirect findings of venous thrombosis in calf, knee, and thigh in corresponding images of the two MRI techniques.…”

Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Thoracic Aorta: A Review of Technical and Clinical Aspects, Including Its Use in the Evaluation of Aneurysms and Acute Vascular Conditions

“…Steady-state free-precession (SSFP) sequence (TrueFISP, balanced FFE, FIESTA) is a bright blood technique, with short TE and TR sequences, that has become widely available (Sakamoto, 2010;Earls, 2002;Pereles, 2002). With SSFP, intraluminal signal generally is very high and homogenous even in cases of turbulent flow because this sequence depends mainly on a function of the T2/T1 ratio (Sakamoto, 2010).…”

Radiological Imaging of Aortic Aneurysms

“…Lower extremity swelling due to venous engorgement and high output cardiac failure can occur if the rupture causes the formation of an aortocaval fistula. 9) In cases of a small rupture of the aneurysmal wall, the hematoma might be misunderstood as a unopacified bowel, enlarged lymph node, or perianeurysmal fibrosis. A chronic contained rupture showing stable hemodynamic status without evidence of blood loss may be encountered.…”