Fluoroscopically triggered contrast-enhanced three-dimensional MR angiography with elliptical centric view order: Application to the renal arteries

PURPOSE: To determine the reliability of obtaining arterial-phase, contrast-material-enhanced three-dimensional (3D) magnetic resonance (MR) angiograms of the renal arteries by using a technique that combines two- dimensional real-time MR fluoroscopy and a 3D MR angiographic acquisition with elliptical centric view order. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-five consecutive patients suspected of having renal artery disease were evaluated with the fluoroscopically triggered technique by using a mean dose of 0.18 mmol/kg gadoteridol. Left renal vein suppression, inferior vena cava suppression, motion artifact, and image quality for depiction of the renal arteries were each evaluated on a five-point scale (1 = best). The findings were compared with those of another 25 consecutive patients who underwent conventional gadolinium-enhanced 3D MR angiography. RESULTS: The fluoroscopically triggered technique produced 4.6 times less left renal vein enhancement than did the conventional method (P < .01). With the fluoroscopically triggered technique, visualization of the renal arteries was adequate for diagnosis in 24 patients (96%) and the overall result (score of 1-3 for all criteria) was of good quality in 22 patients (88%). CONCLUSION: With this fluoroscopically triggered MR angiographic technique, high-quality, arterial phase, relatively motion immune angiograms can be routinely obtained.