Yonago Acta medica 1996;39:155–162
Three-Dimensional Gd-DTPA Enhanced MR Angiography (MRA): Comparison of the Visualization of Portal Branches by MRA using Magnetization Transfer Contrast Pulses and Fat Saturation Pulse
Yuji Suto, Masayuki Kamba, Takashi Kato, Shuji Sugihara, Kotaro Yoshida and Yoshio Ohta
Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago 683, Japan
To evaluate the visualization of portal branches of the liver, we compared three-dimensional (3D) gadopentetate dimeglumine (Gd-DTPA) enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) using magnetization transfer contrast pulses (MTC) with MRA using fat saturation pulse (FAT-SAT). The subjects were 10 healthy volunteers and 15 patients with liver tumors. MRA was reconstructed from the data obtained by 3D-fast low angle shot sequences(FLASH) with MTC after intravenous injection of Gd-DTPA during breath-holding. MRA was performed again on another day by 3D-FLASH with FAT-SAT. The depictabilities of the portal trunk to the 4th-order intrahepatic portal branches of MRA using both methods were compared among healthy volunteers. The depictabilities of the tumor and the contour of the liver were compared in patients with liver tumor. The visualization of the portal trunk was significantly better by the FAT-SAT-MRA. The 1st-order to 2nd-order portal branches were clearly visualized by both MRA sequences, but the depictabilities of the third-order and fourth-order branches were significantly better by the MTC-MRA. The visualization of the contour of the liver was significantly better by the FAT-SAT-MRA, and that of the tumor was significantly better by the MTC-MRA. In conclusion, complementary use of the 2 techniques is recommended in liver MRA.
Key words: magnetization transfer contrast; MR angiography; portal vein
