Cardiac-gated, phase contrast magnetic resonance angiography is a reliable and reproducible technique for quantifying blood flow in canine major cranial abdominal vessels

Blood flow changes in cranial abdominal vessels are important contributing factors for canine hepatic disease. This prospective, experimental, pilot study aimed to evaluate cardiac-gated, phase contrast magnetic resonance angiography (PCMRA) as a method for characterizing blood flow in canine major cranial abdominal vessels. Eleven, healthy, adult beagle dogs were sampled. Cardiac-gated, phase contrast magnetic resonance angiography of the cranial abdomen was performed in each dog and blood flow was independently measured in each of the major cranial abdominal vessels by three observers, with two observers recording blood flow values once and one observer recording blood flow values three times. Each dog then underwent ultrasonographic examination of the liver with fine needle aspirations and biopsies submitted to cytologic and histologic examination. The mean absolute stroke volume and velocity were respectively 9.6 +/- 1.9ml and -11.1 +/- 1.1cm/s for the cranial abdominal aorta, 2.1 +/- 0.6ml and -6.6 +/- 1.9cm/s for the celiac artery, and 2.3 +/- 1.0ml and -7.9 +/- 3.1cm/s for the cranial mesenteric artery. The mean absolute stroke volume and velocity were respectively 6.7 +/- 1.3ml and 3.9 +/- 0.9cm/s for the caudal vena cava and 2.6 +/- 0.9ml and 3.2 +/- 1.2cm/s for the portal vein. Intraobserver reliability was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient>0.9). Interobserver reproducibility was also excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.89-0.99). Results of liver ultrasonography, cytology, and histopathology were unremarkable. Findings indicated that cardiac-gated, phase contrast magnetic resonance angiography is a feasible technique for quantifying blood blow in canine major cranial abdominal vessels. Blood flow values from this sample of healthy beagles can be used as background for future studies on canine hepatic disease.