TY - JOUR
T1 - Coronary MR angiography: Comparison of quantitative and qualitative data from four techniques
AU - Maintz, D
AU - Aepfelbacher, F C
AU - Kissinger, K V
AU - Botnar, R M
AU - Danias, P G
AU - Heindel, W
AU - Manning, W J
AU - Stuber, M
PY - 2004/2
Y1 - 2004/2
N2 - OBJECTIVE. The optimal coronary MR angiography sequence has yet to be determined. We sought to quantitatively and qualitatively compare four coronary MR angiography sequences. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. Free-breathing coronary MR angiography was performed in 12 patients using four imaging sequences (turbo field-echo, fast spin-echo, balanced fast field-echo, and spiral turbo field-echo). Quantitative comparisons, including signal-to-noise ratio, contrast-to-noise ratio, vessel diameter, and vessel sharpness, were performed using a semiautomated analysis tool. Accuracy for detection of hemodynamically significant disease (> 50%) was assessed in comparison with radiographic coronary angiography. RESULTS. Signal-to-noise and contrast-to-noise ratios were markedly increased using the spiral (25.7+/-5.7 and 15.2+/-3.9) and balanced fast field-echo (23.5+/-1.7 and 14.4+/-8.1) sequences compared with the turbo field-echo (12.5+/-2.7 and 8.3+/-2.6) sequence (p <0.05). Vessel diameter was smaller with the spiral sequence (2.6+/-0.5 mm) than with the other techniques (turbo field-echo, 3.0+/-0.5 torn, p = 0.6; balanced fast field-echo, 3.1+/-0.5 mm, p <0.01; fast spin-echo, 3.1+/-0.5 mm, p <0.01). Vessel sharpness was highest with the balanced fast field-echo sequence (61.6%+/-8.5% compared with turbo field-echo, 44.0%+/-6.6%; spiral, 44.7%+/-6.5%; fast spin-echo, 18.4%+/-6.7%; p <0.001). The overall accuracies of the sequences were similar (range, 74% for turbo field-echo, 79% for spiral). Scanning time for the fast spin-echo sequences was longest (10.5+/-0.6 min), and for the spiral acquisitions was shortest (5.2+/-0.3 min). CONCLUSION. Advantages in signal-to-noise and contrast-to-noise ratios, vessel sharpness, and the qualitative results appear to favor spiral and balanced fast field-echo coronary MR angiography sequences, although subjective accuracy for the detection of coronary artery disease was similar to that of other sequences
AB - OBJECTIVE. The optimal coronary MR angiography sequence has yet to be determined. We sought to quantitatively and qualitatively compare four coronary MR angiography sequences. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. Free-breathing coronary MR angiography was performed in 12 patients using four imaging sequences (turbo field-echo, fast spin-echo, balanced fast field-echo, and spiral turbo field-echo). Quantitative comparisons, including signal-to-noise ratio, contrast-to-noise ratio, vessel diameter, and vessel sharpness, were performed using a semiautomated analysis tool. Accuracy for detection of hemodynamically significant disease (> 50%) was assessed in comparison with radiographic coronary angiography. RESULTS. Signal-to-noise and contrast-to-noise ratios were markedly increased using the spiral (25.7+/-5.7 and 15.2+/-3.9) and balanced fast field-echo (23.5+/-1.7 and 14.4+/-8.1) sequences compared with the turbo field-echo (12.5+/-2.7 and 8.3+/-2.6) sequence (p <0.05). Vessel diameter was smaller with the spiral sequence (2.6+/-0.5 mm) than with the other techniques (turbo field-echo, 3.0+/-0.5 torn, p = 0.6; balanced fast field-echo, 3.1+/-0.5 mm, p <0.01; fast spin-echo, 3.1+/-0.5 mm, p <0.01). Vessel sharpness was highest with the balanced fast field-echo sequence (61.6%+/-8.5% compared with turbo field-echo, 44.0%+/-6.6%; spiral, 44.7%+/-6.5%; fast spin-echo, 18.4%+/-6.7%; p <0.001). The overall accuracies of the sequences were similar (range, 74% for turbo field-echo, 79% for spiral). Scanning time for the fast spin-echo sequences was longest (10.5+/-0.6 min), and for the spiral acquisitions was shortest (5.2+/-0.3 min). CONCLUSION. Advantages in signal-to-noise and contrast-to-noise ratios, vessel sharpness, and the qualitative results appear to favor spiral and balanced fast field-echo coronary MR angiography sequences, although subjective accuracy for the detection of coronary artery disease was similar to that of other sequences
M3 - Article
VL - 182
SP - 515
EP - 521
JO - American Journal of Roentgenology
JF - American Journal of Roentgenology
IS - 2
ER -