Projection imaging of the right coronary artery with an intravenous injection of contrast agent

Magn Reson Med. 2004 Oct;52(4):699-703. doi: 10.1002/mrm.20224.

Abstract

Contrast-enhanced (CE) MR angiography of the right coronary artery (RCA) was performed using 2D thick-slice projection imaging with a small (8 mL) intravenous injection of contrast agent in six volunteers. With a tight contrast bolus injection, the RCA was enhanced for a few seconds after the contrast bolus was washed out of the right ventricle. This allowed data to be acquired when only the RCA was enhanced. Using 2D thick-slice magnetization prepared steady-state free precession (SSFP) imaging, background signal was suppressed and a complete data set was acquired in three heartbeats. A mean vessel length of 7.1 +/- 0.9 cm was depicted with a signal-to-noise ratio of 11.8 +/- 0.7 and contrast-to-noise ratio of 6.1 +/- 0.6. Thick-slice 2D projection CE SSFP is a promising method to depict the RCA.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Contrast Media / administration & dosage*
  • Coronary Angiography
  • Coronary Vessels / anatomy & histology*
  • Female
  • Gadolinium DTPA / administration & dosage*
  • Humans
  • Injections, Intravenous
  • Magnetic Resonance Angiography / methods*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged

Substances

  • Contrast Media
  • Gadolinium DTPA