MR Angiography in the Head and Neck

ABSTRACT

Contrast angiograplly is a reliable method for obtaing morphologic and hemodynamic informations about the blood vessels. The morbidity assoicated with angiographic procedures includes the possibility of stroke, renal failure, and discomforts from catheter insertion and contrast media injection. A noninvasive alternative angiographic method would be clearly desirable. This article discusses 70 examples of our initial experience with MR angiography (time-of-flight and phase contrast methods). The correlation between MR angiography and contrast angiography was relatively good. Conventional MR neuroangiography was better for the evaluation of collateral circulation than MR angiography. On MR angiography. The over estimation of luminal narrowing resulted from complex flow that occurred normally in carotid bifurcation as well as distal to stenosis. Contrast material was used for better monitoring of the spins of the capillary circulation. Feeding arteries and draining veins of vascular malformations were well delineated only in a large one, but not delineated in a small AVM and in a venous angioma Only six cases of aneurysm were experienced in this study and a aneurysm as small as 4 mm could be shown, The obstructed vessels were well demonstrated on MR angiography. 2-D time-of-flight MR angiography of trans verse sinus thrombosis could confirm the clinical impression by the showing of little now in the transverse sinus. MR angiography of the head and neck offers great promise as a noninvasive and useful means of studying vascular abnormalities and as an alternative means of difficult cases for contrast angiography.