Time-of-flight intracranial MR venography: Evaluation of the sequential oblique section technique

J. S. Lewin, T. J. Masaryk, A. S. Smith, P. M. Ruggieri, J. S. Ross

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

33 Scopus citations

Abstract

PURPOSE: To implement a time-of-flight MR angiographic technique using the oblique acquisition of thin gradient-echo sections to evaluate the intracranial venous system, and to assess the feasibility of application of this technique in a routine clinical setting. METHODS: The MR angiographic technique consisted of a two-dimensional gradient-echo technique with sequential overlapped sections obtained with an oblique orientation, angled from the sagittal toward the coronal plane. Parameters were evaluated during 41 measurements in 21 healthy volunteers with the section orientation varying from direct sagittal to direct coronal, followed by 64 examinations in 53 patients with an angle of obliquity of 15° to 20° from the sagittal toward the coronal plane. Confirmation of MR venographic findings was through correlation with clinical data and imaging studies. RESULTS: The volunteer data demonstrated optimal visibility of the smaller midline structures with an angle of obliquity of 15° or greater. Patient examinations with this angle demonstrated sinus obstruction or thrombosis (n = 11), sinus compression (n = 2), and apparent sinus stenosis (n = 1). CONCLUSIONS: Oblique-acquisition time-of-flight MR venography seems to provide a rapid, robust technique for intracranial venous examination and can be applied as a useful adjunct to parenchymal MR in the evaluation of suspected venoocclusive disease. This oblique technique demonstrated improved vessel contrast over direct sagittal acquisition, required significantly fewer sections and thus a shorter acquisition time than direct coronal acquisition, and was applied without difficulty in the vast majority of patients in the clinical setting.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1657-1664
Number of pages8
JournalAmerican Journal of Neuroradiology
Volume15
Issue number9
StatePublished - 1994
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging
  • Clinical Neurology

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