Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography. Theory, technique and practical application

Contrast enhanced (CE) magnetic resonance angiography affords angiographic depiction of extended Vascular territories with high quality and diagnostic value. A prerequisite is the fast acquisition of a three-dimensional gradient-echo data set during the injection of a bolus of a T1-shortening contrast agent. We describe the dependence of the quality of CE-MRA on technical parameters of different MR-scanners and consider some fundamental facts and practical guidelines concerning the contrast agent injection.