Akira Yamamoto MD,PhD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Sachi Okuchi MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Tomohisa Okada MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Kimio Gotoh, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Aki Kido MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Koji Fujimoto MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Mitsunori Kanagaki MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Kaori Togashi MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To evaluate capability of Flow-Sensitive Black Blood (FSBB) MR angiography to detect difference in visualized lenticulostriate artery (LSA) between patients with a stroke in its territory and control subjects.

This study was approved by the institutional review board, and written informed consent was obtained. Fifteen patients (9 males; mean age 73 years) with stroke at the basal ganglia were prospectively enrolled and twelve aged-matched healthy subjects (6 males; mean age 68 years) were examined by using a 1.5T-MRI. FSBB images were scanned using a 3D gradient echo acquisition with the following parameters: TR/TE 35/20 ms, flip angle 20°, acquisition matrix size 256×224,　FOV 205×179 mm in one axial 3D slab of 80 slices (0.8 mm thickness) acquired in 6 minutes and 35 seconds.　A motion probing gradient of b = 4 sec/mm2 was applied to dephase arterial blood flow.　Final image volumes were interpolated into cubic 0.4 mm and reformatted into coronal images of 2 mm thickness by using minimum intensity projection. Total number and length of visualized LSA branches were analyzed between two groups by using two-tailed two-sample t-test. Stepwise multiple regression analyses were also conducted including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking history and diabetes mellitus after evaluation of their co-linearity. A P value less than 0.05 after correction for multiple comparisons were considered significant.

The patients had significantly less number of LSA branches (average 6.3; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.4-7.1) than controls (8.7; 95%CI: 7.8-9.5),　(P=0.0003). The total lengths were 117mm (95% CI: 96-138mm)　and 162 mm (95% CI: 133-191mm) for patients and control subjects, respectively (P=0.01). In stepwise multiple regression analysis, the branch numbers were significantly related only to infarction (P=0.0003), but only hypertension was significantly related to the total length (P=0.0085).

FSBB angiography visualized LSA branches and found significant differences between patients and controls. FSBB is a promising method to investigate the LSA using a 1.5T-MRI.

LSA branches are well visualized even on 1.5T-MRI system by using FSBB-MRA, and this capability can be used to investigate status of the LSA in patient with strokes, hypertension and other disorders.

Yamamoto, A, Okuchi, S, Okada, T, Gotoh, K, Kido, A, Fujimoto, K, Kanagaki, M, Togashi, K, Visualization Capability of Lenticulostriate Arteries by Flow-sensitive Black-Blood MR Angiography Using a 1.5T-MRI System: A Comparative Study between Subjects with and without Strokes.  Radiological Society of North America 2012 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 25 - November 30, 2012 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2012/12022155.html