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Abstract #1501

Efficacy of 3D Whole-Lung Single Breath-Hold Contrast Enhanced Pulmonary MRA for Detection of Pulmonary Embolism: Comparison to CTA

Harald Kramer1, 2, Scott K. Nagle1, Christopher J. Francois3, Karl K. Vigen1, Alejandro Munoz Del Rio1, Scott B. Reeder1, Mark L. Schiebler1

1Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, United States; 2Institute for Clinical Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Bavaria, Germany; 3Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States


MRA and CTA exams performed for diagnosis of pulmonary embolism were correlated in 20 prospectively enrolled patients. MRA featured good sensitivity but limited specificity and only moderate inter reader agreement. MRA can serve as a substitute diagnostic tool in patients suffering from pulmonary embolism if CTA is contraindicated or as follow up exams in patients already undergoing thromboembolic therapy.