Abstract #0508
Free-breathing steady-state free-precession (SSFP) MR Angiography of the renal arteries without contrast agent: a prospective intraindividual comparison with high-spatial-resolution contrast-enhanced MR Angiography
Wyss M, Wyttenbach R, Gallino A, Braghetti A, Alerci M, Di Valentino M, Hoogeveen R, Katoh M, Santini P
ETH and University, Philips Medical Systems
The current state-of-the-art magnetic resonance angiographic technique for screening of renal artery stenosis is contrast-enhanced (CE) magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). Our study compares a free-breathing navigator-gated 3D SSFP MRA technique without the use of T1 contrast agent with high-resolution 3D CE-MRA. Free-breathing 3D SSFP MRA showed a high diagnostic accuracy for detection of renal artery stenosis and therefore can potentially be used for screening of renovascular disease in hypertensive patients without the need for contrast media. However severity of renal artery stenosis may be overestimated by SSFP MR angiography due to signal loss distal to the stenotic lesion.
