In Vivo Intravascular MR Imaging: Transvenous Technique for Arterial Wall Imaging
Section snippets
IVMRG
The IVMRG (Surgi-Vision, Gaithersburg, MD) used in this study is a “receive only” coil and has been previously described (9). Briefly, the device is a 75-cm-long, 0.030-inch-diameter, loopless antenna consisting of a soft conducting wire that has an inner conductor from a 50-ohm, 0.6-mm, coaxial cable with a polyester jacket. The proximal end of the coaxial cable was connected through a matching tuningdecoupling circuit to the MR scanner. The IVMRG can function as a conventional angiography
RESULTS
Forty-one images (T1-weighted precontrast without fat saturation, N = 15); T1-weighted precontrast with fat saturation, N = 10; T1-weighted postcontrast with fat saturation, N = 16) of 19 arteries were reviewed. The Table lists the imaging and histopathologic results. Vessels ranged in size from 4 to 10 mm (average size, 6.6 ± 2.01 mm). The average distance from the center of the artery to the center of the vein was 11.6 ± 6.0 mm.
DISCUSSION
Recently, investigators have used electron-beam CT, multi-detector CT, transcutaneous ultrasound, intravascular ultrasound, and MR imaging to evaluate the arterial wall. Electron-beam CT and multi-detector CT, which have been used for calcium scoring of the coronary arteries, primarily identifies calcified plaques, (AHA type Vb) (1) but has a lower sensitivity in identifying earlier, less advanced lesions (13). Transcutaneous ultrasound is able to not only quantify the plaque burden (14, 15),
References (25)
- et al.
Comparison of electron beam computed tomography with intracoronary ultrasound and coronary angiography for detection of coronary atherosclerosis
J Am Coll Cardiol
(1997) - et al.
Value and limitations of intravascular ultrasound imaging in characterizing coronary atherosclerotic plaque
Am Heart J
(1995) - et al.
Intravascular MR-monitored balloon angioplasty: an in vivo feasibility study
J Vasc Interv Radiol
(1998) - et al.
A definition of advanced types of atherosclerotic lesions and a histological classification of atherosclerosis. A report from the Committee on Vascular Lesions of the Council on Arteriosclerosis, American Heart Association
Circulation
(1995) Coronary thrombosis: pathogenesis and clinical manifestations
Am J Cardiol
(1991)- et al.
Carotid artery atherosclerosis: in vivo morphologic characterization with gadolinium-enhanced double-oblique MR imaging initial results
Radiology
(2002) - et al.
Visualization of fibrous cap thickness and rupture in human atherosclerotic carotid plaque in vivo with high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging
Circulation
(2000) - et al.
Surface coil phased arrays for high-resolution imaging of the carotid arteries
J Magn Reson Imaging
(1996) - et al.
Characterization of atherosclerotic plaques at the carotid bifurcation: correlation of high-resolution MR imaging with histologic analysis–preliminary study
Radiographics
(1997) - et al.
Characterization of signal properties in atherosclerotic plaque components by intravascular MRI
Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol
(2000)
Intravascular MR imaging of atherosclerotic plaque: ex vivo analysis of human femoral arteries with histologic correlation
Radiology
Intravascular magnetic resonance imaging using a loopless catheter antenna
Magn Reson Med
Cited by (20)
Implanted, inductively-coupled, radiofrequency coils fabricated on flexible polymeric material: Application to in vivo rat brain MRI at 7 T
2012, Journal of Magnetic ResonanceCitation Excerpt :Dedicated microtechnological fabrication processes can also be used to improve the RF field pattern and provide better flexibility and mechanical properties [22–28]. Alternatively, catheter-based coils can be loopless, consisting of a dipole antenna at the tip of a coaxial cable [29–33]. This principle provides further coil diameter reduction, increased flexibility and improved field pattern near the coil conductor.
Quantitative 3T MR Imaging of the Descending Thoracic Aorta: Patients with Familial Hypercholesterolemia Have an Increased Aortic Plaque Burden Despite Long-Term Lipid-lowering Therapy
2008, Journal of Vascular and Interventional RadiologyIntrabiliary MR imaging: Assessment of biliary obstruction with use of an intraluminal MR receiver coil
2006, Journal of Vascular and Interventional RadiologyPediatric stroke: The child is not merely a small adult
2005, Neuroimaging Clinics of North AmericaIntrabiliary MR imaging
2005, Magnetic Resonance Imaging Clinics of North AmericaCitation Excerpt :Finally, the coil itself was placed within a biliary drainage tube so that it did not directly contact the bile duct walls. Given the experience with transesophageal MR imaging and transvenous MR imaging of the arteries and the extensive animal testing already performed [7,18,22], the authors believe that the risk of this procedure is minimal. The goal of this research is to illustrate the potential role of interventional MR imaging in a clinical setting.
This study was supported by a research grant from Surgi-Vision (Gaithersburg, MD). None of the authors have identified a potential conflict of interest.