Influence of field strength on intracranial vessel conspicuity in canine magnetic resonance angiography

• Published in: Veterinary radiology & ultrasound Vol. 50; no. 5; pp. 477 - 482
• Main Authors: Rodriguez, D, Rylander, H, Vigen, K.K, Adams, W.M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Malden, USA : Blackwell Publishing Inc 01-09-2009; Blackwell Publishing Inc
• Subjects: analytical methods; anatomy; animal morphology; Animals; arteries; Beagle; blood vessels; Brain - blood supply; circle of willis; Circulus; diagnostic techniques; dogs; Dogs - anatomy & histology; equipment performance; image analysis; intracranial arteries; intracranial vessels; magnetic field strength; magnetic properties; magnetic resonance angiography; Magnetic Resonance Angiography - veterinary; magnetic resonance imaging
• ISSN: 1058-8183; 1740-8261
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1740-8261.2009.01574.x

Eight neurologically normal beagles were imaged using three-dimensional (3D) time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) in a 3 T magnetic resonance scanner. Four of the eight dogs were also imaged using a 1 T unit for comparison. Ten intracranial arteries were consistently identified at 3 T: external and internal carotid, basilar, vertebral, rostral cerebral, middle cerebral, caudal cerebral, rostral communicating, caudal communicating, and ventral spinal arteries. Only four were reliably identified at 1 T with diagnostic spatial and contrast resolution. At 3 T, vessels as small as 1 mm were reliably detected. Vessel conspicuity was superior using the 3 T system. An anatomic atlas of the canine circulus arteriosus cerebri using a 3 T scan was constructed. The effect of MRA parameters on vascular spatial resolution and conspicuity are reviewed.