Time-resolved two-dimensional thick-slice magnetic resonance digital subtraction angiography in assessing brain tumors

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical applicability of two-dimensional (2D) thick-slice, contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance digital subtraction angiography (MRDSA) with high temporal resolution in diagnosis of brain tumors. Forty-four patients with brain tumors including, 15 meningiomas, 8 gliomas, 6 metastatic tumors, 4 neuromas, and 2 hemangioblastomas, were studied with 2D MRDSA with frame rate approximately 1 s. Images were continuously obtained following the initiation of bolus injection of gadolinium chelates for 40 s and subtraction images were generated in a workstation. We evaluated visualization of normal cranial vessels on MRDSA and compared MRDSA and intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography (IADSA) with regard to hemodynamic information. Large cerebral arteries, all venous sinuses, and most tributaries were clearly visualized. A stain was present in hypervascular tumors including all 15 meningiomas and 2 hemangioblastomas on MRDSA. Presence of a stain demonstrated on MRDSA and that on IADSA coincided in 16 of 20 cases (Spearman rank correlation value was 0.85). The location, shape, and phase of the stain on MRDSA were similar to those on IADSA. Two-dimensional MRDSA with high temporal resolution has a unique ability to demonstrate cerebral hemodynamics, such as IADSA, and can play an important role in assessing brain tumors.

Head and Neck Paragangliomas: Value of Contrast-Enhanced 3D MR Angiography

“…We postulated that intense tumor blush on CE-MRA could be a sensitive and specific feature for paragangliomas because these tumors are highly vascularized. 17 Our study showed that with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 94%, CE-MRA was accurate to diagnose head and neck paragangliomas. Our results are in agreement with those studies concerning the typical rapid and intense enhancement of paragangliomas.…”

Quality-Evaluation Scheme for Cerebral Time-Resolved 3D Contrast-Enhanced MR Angiography Techniques

“…Also, the maximum venous SI is not discriminative enough because it is graded as optimal in all healthy patients and in those with pathology, which is in accordance with the literature data. 9 For practical spatial resolution evaluation, in both healthy patients and those with arteriovenous shunt, the following 4 vessels showed very good reproducibility and a high sensitivity of detection in comparison with CCA along with high spatial discrimination: 3 arteries, the PICA and the ophthalmic and occipital arteries, and 1 vein, the ISS, considered to be the smallest venous segment (noting that the internal cerebral and basal veins are not highly reproducible in patients with pathology). These 4 vessels provide high spatial discrimination with a diameter in most cases Ͻ1 mm.…”

“…The second part was an anatomic vascular study, which evaluated the vascular visibility of vessels of different diameters, the visibility of the smallest reflecting spatial resolution, and from different territories. Most vessels were listed from the literature, 9,10,13,17,22,26,30,34 but some were added to complete the list. The visibility of venous drainage and of small-diameter arteries has important clinical implications because it can help to determine the risk of neurologic complications and the therapeutic strategy for vascular malformations.…”

Resolution improvement in thick‐slab magnetic resonance digital subtraction angiography using SENSE at 3T

“…Beyond vascular imaging, the non-invasive examinations of tumor blood flow patterns (27,28) may wish to achieve still greater temporal resolutions by setting less stringent requirements for spatial resolution.…”