Nonenhanced MR angiography of the hand with flow-sensitive dephasing-prepared balanced SSFP sequence: initial experience with XXXX .

@entity1 @entity2791 @entity74 @entity850 @entity785
PURPOSE: To compare the image quality and degree of vessel narrowing at flow-sensitive dephasing (FSD) magnetic resonance (MR) angiography of the hands with those at contrast material-enhanced MR angiography of the hands in @entity1 with @entity785 . MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a single-center study with institutional review board approval and HIPAA compliance, six healthy volunteers and six @entity1 with @entity785 were imaged at 1.5-T nonenhanced FSD MR angiography followed by contrast-enhanced MR angiography. Sixteen vascular segments in four vessel groups were evaluated for image quality and assessed semiquantitatively for @entity850 degree by using Likert scales. The nonparametric Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to perform pairwise comparisons of the MR angiographic techniques. P < .05 indicated statistical significance. RESULTS: Performing FSD MR angiography, as compared with time-resolved MR angiography and high-spatial-resolution MR angiography, improved the image quality for all arterial segments combined in the control (mean score, 2.9 [FSD] vs 3.7 [time-resolved technique] and 3.1 [high-spatial-resolution technique]) and @entity1 (mean score, 4.0 [FSD] vs 4.2 [time-resolved technique] and 4.3 [high-spatial-resolution technique]) groups. In the control subjects, FSD angiography depicted @entity2791 that was less severe (mean grade, 0.7) than that seen with the time-resolved (mean grade, 1.6) and high-spatial-resolution (mean grade, 1.0) techniques. In the @entity1 group, FSD angiography depicted lower degrees of @entity850 , with a lower mean grade for all segments combined (1.3) compared with the corresponding mean grades for time-resolved (1.5) and high-spatial-resolution (1.8) MR angiography. CONCLUSION: Preliminary data indicate that the proposed nonenhanced FSD MR angiographic technique is an improvement over existing contrast-enhanced techniques for evaluation of the hand vasculature in @entity74 of the hand. Further technical improvements and a systematic clinical study are warranted.
