Follow-up of aortic dissection: Contribution of MR angiography for evaluation of the abdominal aorta and its branches

Spin-echo MR is an established method to evaluate thoracic aortic dissections, but is not well suited to study the abdominal aorta. In this study we evaluated whether MR angiography could provide a complete examination of the abdominal aorta. In 28 patients (40 MR studies) with suspected (n=6) or known (n=34) aortic dissection, MR studies were performed. Thoracic aorta was evaluated with spinecho and gradient-recalled-echo MR imaging. Axial two-dimensional time-of-flight MR angiography with thin overlapping slices was used to study the abdominal aorta. Intermediate and high signal intensity on MR angiography was interpreted as patent flow, and low signal was interpreted as thrombus. The presence of an intima flap and the re-entry site could be depicted in all MR studies. Thrombus in the false channel was seen in 8 studies. The origin of the abdominal visceral branches and their relation to the false-true channel could be depicted, except in 4 of 80 renal arteries studied. Extension of the dissection into the coeliac trunk was seen in 2 and in the superior mesenteric artery in 10 studies. Dilatation of the suprarenal abdominal aorta was seen in 20 studies, and of the infrarenal aorta in 9 studies. MR angiography provides valuable information about the abdominal aorta and its branches in patients with aortic dissection. This makes MR imaging appealing as the preferred imaging modality for the diagnosis and follow-up of aortic dissection.