[Two-dimensional time-of-flight MR angiography of mediastinum and pulmonary hilar vessels: initial clinical experiences].

Two-dimensional time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography (2D TOF MRA) of mediastinal and pulmonary hilar vessels was performed in 10 patients, seven men and three women with a mean age (range) of 65.7 (48-88) years. The rate of visualization of the vessels and the diagnostic ability of 2D TOF MRA were assessed in comparison with contrast-enhanced CT. A radiofrequency-spoiled gradient echo sequence (SPGR) was used during repeated breath-holding (8-27 seconds) in coronal (8 patients) and axial (2 patients) imaging planes on a 1.5 Tesla superconducting scanner under the following conditions: repetition time/echo time/flip angle/excitation: 25-33/7-8 ms/45 degrees/1, field-of-view: 30 x 30 cm, slice thickness: 2.5 mm, 32 slices, 256 (frequency) x 192 (phase) matrix, with gradient moment nulling technique. Visualization sufficient to enable diagnosis of the vascular lesion was obtained in 95 (52%) vessels, mere visualization in 63 (35%), and non-visualization in 24 (13%) of the 182 evaluable vessels. The rates of good visualization of pulmonary hilar vessels (26/86, 30%) and veins (26/48, 54%) were significantly lower than that of arteries (43/48, 90%, p < 0.05). The sensitivity and specificity of 2D TOF MRA were 77% (10/13) and 100% (83/83), respectively, in 96 evaluable vessels of nine patients. 2D TOF MRA of mediastium and pulmonary hili is clinically feasible, and may be useful because of its high specificity.