Optimizing of gadolinium-enhanced MR angiography by manipulation of acquisition and scan delay times

An optimized protocol for achieving high-quality contrast-enhanced MR angiography (CE MRA) was designed and evaluated. Time–intensity curves of the test bolus and main bolus were compared in 11 volunteers. To identify the acquisition zone sensitive to venous overprojection, sequential filling phantoms which consisted of 12 test tubes were developed and scanned. Using the parameters of the time–intensity curve which were consistent between the test and main boluses and the parameters of the sensitive acquisition zone in the pulse sequences, the protocol for calculation of scan delay time and acquisition time was optimized. The new protocol was verified by comparison of lower extremity CE MRAs acquired by traditional (scan delay time = peak enhancement time minus injection duration/2 + acquisition time/2; n = 12) and new (n = 23) protocols. The arterial and venous enhancing times of the time–intensity curves of the test and main boluses were statistically consistent (p < 0.01). The length of the sensitive acquisition zone was one-half the acquisition duration. With the parameters identified in the time–intensity curve and pulse sequence analyses, a new protocol was developed. For validation, the new protocol was able to study the smaller arteries such as the distal tibial arteries and branches of the femoral and iliac arteries (p < 0.01). Using the optimized protocol, higher-quality images were obtained than those acquired by traditional methods.