Indications for MRA would include evaluation of the carotid arteries in patients who suffer from neurologic diseases such as transient ischemic attacks, where disease in the carotid arteries is suspected. MRA has been recognized as a valuable method to evaluate the thoracic and abdominal aorta for aneurysm and dissection. We have utilized MRA in the evaluation of the renal arteries supplying blood to the kidneys in patients suspected of having renovascular hypertension. Occasionally we have evaluated the vascular anatomy of the legs in patients who cannot tolerate catheter angiography for one reason or another, such as those patients who are allergic to iodine contrast or who are taking anticoagulants such as Coumadin and cannot be taken off this medication. The magnet we use for our MRA studies is a 0.5 tesla superconducting GE Contour magnet.
Patients also wear headphones to listen to their favorite music during the exam.
However an occasional patient is claustrophobic, and we can treat them with appropriate medication to allow them to proceed with the examination as comfortably as possible. The magnet also has a 330 pound weight limit, so most patients can be imaged within it. A typical MRA examination involves a series of preliminary localizing scans of short duriation to localize the anatomy of interest in three dimensions in the patient's body. For studies of the blood vessels in the brain, or in the legs we use sequences that do not require the use of the contrast agent, gadolinium. For studies of the carotid arteries and the aorta, gadolinium is quite useful.