Magnetic resonance imaging of aortic disease: preliminary results.

Fourteen patients with a variety of aortic diseases were evaluated with magnetic Charles B. Higgins resonance imaging (MRI). These included abdominal aortic aneurysms (eight cases), William Hoddick aortoiliac aneurysm (one), thoracoabdominal aneurysm (one), aortic dissections (four), Hedvin Hricak and Takayasu arteritis (one). The size and extent of aneurysms, the presence of Robert id!' Kerlan thrombus or atherosclerotic debris, the relation to renal and iliac arteries, and the effect C �:� . of aneurysms on adjacent structures were readily demonstrated by MRI. The size of the �rnes� �. �ng residual lumen in a variety of vascular diseases and abnormal blood flow patterns could Leon Kaufmanassessed. In aortic dissection, MRI permitted identification of intimal flaps and Marcus W. Hedgecock determination of the origin of aortic branches from either of two lumina. Thickening of the wall and luminal narrowing of the aorta and arch vessels in Takayasu arteritis were clearly defined. These early results indicated that MRI achieved precise and complete assessment of a number of aortic abnormalities without the administration of any type of contrast material. Thus, early experience suggests that an important application of MRI will be as a totally noninvasive and reliable method for evaluating aortic disease. In magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the virtual absence of intraluminal signal from blood flowing at normal velocity provides striking inherent contrast between the lumen and extraluminal soft tissues. Consequently, vascular imaging can be attained without any exogenous contrast material. Initial experience with MRI suggested considerable utility in the evaluation of cardiovascular abnormalities (1- 6), including the direct imaging of atherosclerotic plaques (2). The complete evaluation of vascular disease requires information concerning luminal dimensions, velocity of blood flow, status of the aortic wall, longitudinal extent of pathology, relation and effect of pathology on major aortic branches, and effect of pathologies on paraaortic structures. This report demonstrates the capa- bility of MRI in providing this sort of information about a variety of aortic diseases.