Yanfeng Meng1,2, Zhaoqi Zhang1, Huidong Gu3, Xing Lv4, Jue Zhang4, Jing Fang4, Bensheng Qiu2, Xiaoming Yang2
1Radiology, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; 2Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; 3MRI Research Team, MR Modality, GE Healthcare China, Beijing, China; 4Biomedical Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, China
Previous studies demonstrate MR imaging-guidewires (MRIG) can be used to create high-resolution vessel wall and plaque images with 1.5T MR scanners. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possibility of generating MRIG-mediated intravascular MR imaging with a 3.0T MR scanner. We first tested, in vitro, the functionality of a 0.032-in MRIG for intraluminal 3T MRI of a phantom, which demonstrated clearly the wall of the phantom tube and the MRIG itself with high SNRs. We then validated, in vivo, the feasibility of generating intravascular 3T MRI of abdominal aorta in two rabbits, which showed clearly the aortic walls when using different sequences. This study proves the capability of using the MRIG to generate high-SNR, intravascular 3.0T MRI, which may enable further MRIG-guided interventions in the 3T environment.