Fig.1 a,b shows images (MIP postprocessing) taken on a 50 years old male patient with an additional S shaped bend of the left internal carotid artery,
a) – T-SLIP,
b) – 3D TOF images.
Tortuosity visualized better on 3D TOF images despite the higher noise.
Relative contrast and contrast /noise ratio were compared to 3D TOF and T-SLIP modes are presented in Fig.2.
For T-SLIP (vs 3DTOF) relative contrast (Fig.2 a) of above 16%,
the ratio of the contrast /noise ratio (Fig.2 b) is above 29%.
Vascular pathology was detected in 14 patients.
The most significant findings are presented below for the understanding of the method.
Patient female,
79 years old,
suffers from chronic renal failure and post-inflammatory atrophy of the kidney on two sides (more expressed on the left side) Fig.3 d,e,f.
Surgeons discussed the viability of the left kidney and the presence of bloodstream in it.
Contrast enhanced MDCT examination was contraindicated due to the high level of creatinine.
By using different BBTI (900ms,
1200ms,
1500ms) it was found that in a small time (900 ms) BBTI left renal artery was not visualized at all (Fig.3 a).
By increasing the BBTI (1200ms and 1500 ms) artery visualization was possible,
what indicated the viability of the kidney and a present of low level of blood flow
through it (Fig.3 b,c).
In this case non invasive T-SLIP MR angiography with different BBTI parameter provided additional information for the clinical analysis of kidney function.
The female patient,
68 years old,
suffering from high renal essential hypertension The retroaortal location of the left renal vein (Fig.4 b),
flowing into the v.cava inferior by two vessels (Fig.4 c),
as well as stenosis of the left renal artery (Fig.4 a,d) was detected in the patient with essential hypertension.
Lower saturation region has been removed for clearer visualization of the inflow saturated spins of the left renal vein into v.
Cava inferior.
You should also pay attention to the artifacts along the vertical direction characteristic 3D SSFP associated with the sensitivity of the PS to the inhomogeneous gradient fields (Fig.4 a).
The female patient,
57 years old,
was directed by a surgeon with a tumor of the neck.
The tumor was detected by ultrasound scan.
We scanned this patient,
using T-SLIP together with 3D-TOF (Fig.5 a,b,d).
Neck chemodectoma with a solid and cist components (Fig.5 c,e) was diagnosed (verified later).
T-SLIP study helped to determine the effect of tumor mass on the neck vessels,
as well as the blood supply to the tumor,
which is important for the planning of
neurosurgical interventions (Fig.5 a,b).
It was indicated that the tumor was connected with external and internal carotid arteries.
However,
small collaterals were better visualised by scanning 3D-TOF (Fig.5 d),
which is probably due to the specific feature of the method and T-SLIP blood flow sensitivity dependence on the BBTI.
The impediment to T-SLIP studying the abdominal vessels was indicated for patients with incorrect respiratory synchronisation,
as an example Fig.6 a.
In this case it is necessary to perform additional scans with the breathing synchronization to reduce artifacts.
This extends time scanning.
It proved that the use of T-SLIP is impossible for people with arrhythmia as T-SLIP scanning is synchronized with the pulse rate which is more important to scan the neck vessels (Fig.6 b).