Non–Contrast-Enhanced MR Imaging of Renal Artery Stenosis at 1.5 Tesla

Balanced steady-state free precession (Bal-SSFP) techniques produce excellent anatomic images of renal arteries without the use of contrast agents and are relatively flow-insensitive. Electrocardiography (ECG)-triggered and non-ECG-triggered sequences have been shown to be quite sensitive for detection of regional arterial stenosis (RAS), and the already high specificity is likely to increase with further refinement of the techniques. Bal-SSFP sequences can be used as a screening tool or as an alternative to contrast-enhanced (CE) magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) when contrast agents are contraindicated. In addition to morphologic imaging of RAS, non-CE techniques can be used in functional assessment of hemodynamic significance. The complimentary tools can be used alone or in combination with CE-MRA for MR imaging of renal vascular hypertension.

Keywords: Non–contrast-enhanced MR imaging, Magnetic resonance angiography, Renal artery stenosis, Renal vascular hypertension, Steady state free precession

a Department of Radiology (AA010-J), University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA 98195, USA

b Philips Healthcare, Cleveland, OH, USA

c Department of Radiology (S113), Puget Sound Veterans Affairs Health Care System, 1660 South Columbian Way, Seattle, WA 98108, USA

Corresponding author. Department of Radiology (AA010-J), University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA 98195.

PII: S1064-9689(09)00003-8

doi:10.1016/j.mric.2009.01.002

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