Mamdoh AlObaidy MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Miguel Ramalho MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Kiran Kumar Reddy Busireddy MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Brian M. Dale PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Employee, Siemens AG

Ersan Altun MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Lauren Marie Brubaker Burke MD, Abstract Co-Author: Consultant, Amgen Inc

Richard Charles Semelka MD, Abstract Co-Author: Research support, Siemens AG Consultant, Guerbet SA

To assess the feasibility and enhancement quality of acquiring early-phase imaging utilizing long-duration radial 3D-GRE imaging by initiating the sequence prior to starting contrast injection.

This HIPAA compliant study was performed with signature waiver in accordance with institutional IRB. Thirty-three consecutive patients (10 males, 23 females; 50.7±25.5 years) underwent free-breathing gadolinium-enhanced radial 3D-GRE, with sequence initiation 30s prior to contrast injection. Comparison was made to a control group of 33 consecutive cooperative patients (21 males and 12 females; 60.9±12.6 years), who underwent breath-hold dynamic Cartesian 3D-GRE imaging. The late hepatic arterial (LHA) phase was selected for comparison. Images were evaluated for quality of enhancement and overall image quality. Quantitative organ enhancement was calculated. Sub-group analysis was performed within the radial 3D-GRE group.

Twenty-two and 23 examinations of radial and Cartesian 3D-GRE sequences, respectively, were acquired during the LHA phase. Specific organ enhancement scores were of satisfactory-to-good diagnostic quality (3.34-3.80) for the radial 3D-GRE group; however, lower than those of Cartesian 3D-GRE (p≤0.0001). There was a significant trend of higher overall quality of enhancement scores in pediatric patients and examinations performed at 3T (p<0.0001). Specific organ percent enhancement was significantly lower for all organs in the radial 3D-GRE group, except for the liver.  

Arterial phase imaging for abdominal MRI is feasible using conventional radial 3D-GRE by adopting a simplistic approach utilizing a fixed time of 30 s of sequence initiation prior to gadolinium injection, which may allow arterial-phase imaging in patients unable to suspend respiration.

Pediatrics and adults unable to suspend respiration are normally lacking dynamic, specifically arterial, imaging in their routine MRI examinations. The preliminary results of our study suggest that our approach may allow adequate arterial phase imaging using free-breathing three-dimensional gradient-recalled echo with radial k-space sampling.

AlObaidy, M, Ramalho, M, Busireddy, K, Dale, B, Altun, E, Burke, L, Semelka, R, Surrogate Arterial Phase Imaging Using Long-duration Free-breathing Fat-suppressed Radial 3D Gradient-Recalled Echo Sequence: An Alternative Approach in Patients Unable to Breath-hold.  Radiological Society of North America 2014 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, - ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2014/14014378.html