Mohrs O K, Voigtländer T, Heussel C P, Bardeleben S v, Düber C, Kreitner K F
Klinik und Poliklinik für Radiologie, Johannes-Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Germany.
Rofo. 2002 Apr;174(4):467-73. doi: 10.1055/s-2002-25115.
To evaluate breath-hold MR techniques for morphologic and functional assessment of vascular abnormalities of the pulmonary vasculature.
13 patients aged 11 to 60 years with different vascular abnormalities of the pulmonary vasculature (5 patients with 16 arteriovenous malformations, 8 patients with partial anomalous pulmonary venous return) underwent MR imaging at 1.5 T. For morphological assessment, a contrast-enhanced 3D MR angiography (ce-MRA) was performed after a timing run. Segmented cine- and velocity-encoded GRE sequences were used for delineation of associated cardiac septal defects and for determination of systemic left-to-right or intrapulmonary shunt volumes. Selective intra arterial digital subtraction angiography, cardiac catheterization, and the intraoperative situs served as reference standards.
Ce-MRA allowed for detection of all vascular abnormalities and for anatomic characterization of 14/16 arteriovenous malformations. Flow measurements in the feeding arteries allowed for determination of intrapulmonary shunt volumes in 4/5 patients. Flow measurements performed in the pulmonary arteries and the ascending aorta enabled determination of systemic left-to-right shunting in patients with anomalous pulmonary venous return. Cine-sequences clearly depicted associated cardiac septal defects.
Breath-hold MR techniques allow for morphological and functional characterization of vascular anomalies of the pulmonary vasculature. Therefore, they are the non-invasive method of choice for planning further treatment.
