Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Vascular Diagnostics

Joseph V. Lombardi

doi:10.36648/2634-7156.21.6.50

Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Vascular Diagnostics

Joseph V. Lombardi

Published Date: 2021-11-25
DOI10.36648/2634-7156.21.6.50

Joseph V. Lombardi^*

Department of Cardiology, Cooper University Health Care Titles, USA

*Corresponding Author:: Joseph V. Lombardi
Department of Cardiology, Cooper University Health Care Titles, USA
E-mail: lombardi-joesph@gmail.com

Received Date: October 06, 2021; Accepted Date: October 12, 2021; Published Date:October 25, 2021

Citation: Lombardi JV (2021) Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Vascular Diagnostics. J Vasc Endovasc Therapy Vol.6 No.10: 50

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Short Communication

The gold standard for the diagnosis of the coronary artery disease is the selective X-ray coronary angiograph. In both Europe and the United States combined the total number of the cardiac catheterizations has increased to more than one million. X-ray based coronary angiography is invasive in nature, expensive and exposes the patients to the harmful ionizing radiations and small risk of complication still exists. There were general concerns regarding the usage of the gadolinium as the contrasting agent in conventional imaging techniques particularly among the renal impairment patients [1]. MRA works on the principle of the atomic spins in the magnetic resonance signal. This allows for the non-invasive visualization of the blood flow. The angiograms are produced either by the time of flight or phase contrast methods.

Angiography based on the magnetic resonance imaging is very broad and still expanding area of research. Research is being done to enhance the spatial resolution, with reduction in the acquisition time and reducing the chances of producing any artifacts. The research in the MRI imaging is taking place in the multidimensional mode. So far significant results have been achieved in the areas of flow sensitized radio frequency pulse, reduction in the background signal, with of resonance pulses and improvement in the display by using more powerful computer algorithms. MRI is primarily used for the visualization of the blood vessels within the human body and can be applied to heart, liver and pulmonary tissue evaluations.

Atherosclerosis is a major form of the disease that contributes to cardiac mortality, stroke, and a range of other diseases. This disease affects the arteries that are present in the renal and abdominal aorta, internal ileac arteries, renal arteries, and is one of the major cases of morbidity and mortality [2]. The incidence of the atherosclerosis increases with the advancement of the age with over 20 percent of the more than 75 years patients being affected. With the increasing demography of the geriatric population the burden of the vascular disease also proportionately increases [3].

Until the recent times, conventional X-ray angiography (XRA) that necessitates the arterial catheterization along with the usage of the substantial volume of iodinated contrast agent was regularly followed as a clinical standard that produces the detailed image of the vasculature of the heart and other affected tissues. More recently non-invasive approaches have been developed such as the X-ray based computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging which can be done without the usage of the external contrast enhancing agents [4]. The accuracy achieved by these new advanced non-invasive methods are near to the accepted standard of the diagnostic criteria.

Magnetic resonance imaging is safe non-invasive and routinely available technique across the diagnostic laboratories in world and the preference for the usage and preference of the MRI has been growing over the past ten years throughout the world. The technique is still undergoing several improvisations and the latest method of the MRI that uses the tailored acquisition of the sequences that highlights the blood flow assists the patients with the vascular diseases particularly the patients affected with vascular conditions in the brain. Recently the most advanced non-contrast MRI are being applied and routinely used for the diagnosis of the peripheral vessels as a clinical practice [5].

Recently Gadofosveset has been developed and is the first intravascular contract agent that has been approved for the magnetic resonance imaging for the purpose of the angiography in the European Union, Canada, Australia and Switzerland. Gadofosveset binds with the albumin thus providing the intravascular enhancement when compared to the existing extracellular magnetic resonance contrast agents [6]. Gadofosveset was found to be safe and well tolerated in the patients with the vascular disease and was very effective for the detection of the vascular stenosis and aneurysm. MRI has open new possibilities of obtaining spatial resolution and desired robust examination and simultaneous examination of the multiple vascular beds.

MRI is being routinely applied as regular clinical practice. In CE MRI, the lumino gram is obtained during the initial passage of the arterial passage of the contrast agent. The current software and hardware allows for the better and high spatial resolution of the abdominal aorta and proximal visceral branches that are equivalent to intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography. Magnetic resonance angiography is being increasingly used as a diagnostic modality in the vascular surgery [7]. The angiographic images obtained by this non-invasive and non-nephrotoxic modalities are one of the most significant advancement in the vascular surgery in the recent times.

MRA can generate any image plane in all the three dimensions. However, for the enhanced spatial resolution the contrast between the arterial lumen and the surrounding tissue is very essential. For addressing this issue there are certain recent modalities that were developing that includes electron beam computed tomography and multidetector computed tomography [8]. In order to address the motions of the heart beat and the respiratory movement certain motion compensation strategies are needed. These techniques include the steady state free precession whole heart imaging intravascular contrasting agent use, coronary vessel wall imaging and high field imaging.