Abstract #4653

Non-Contrast MRA of the Finger & Toe using Time-Spatial Labeling Inversion Pulse (Time-SLIP) Technique

Jun Isogai¹, Takeshi Shimada², Hideo Hatakeyama², Mitsue Miyazaki³, Kenji Yodo⁴, Tomoko Miyata⁴

¹Shuwa General Hospital, Kasukabe, Saitama, Japan; ²Hasuda Hospital; ³Toshiba Medical Research Institute, USA, United States; ⁴Toshiba Medical Systems Corp.

Visualization of small arteries of the finger and toe is quite difficult in using conventional non-contrast MR angiography (MRA) techniques, including time-of-flight (TOF) and phase contrast MRA, due to tortuous vessels out of plane and slow velocity. In addition, Gadolinium-enhanced MRA has also several problems on an injection rate or the amount of contrast materials. Due to the recent concerns of Gadolinium-related Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF), non-contrast MRA solutions have gained interest. The time-spatial labeling inversion pulse (time-SLIP) MRA was investigated for the depiction of small arteries of the finger and toe.