The effect of non-contrast enhanced MRA on patients with renal insufficiency and foot pain

Abstract

To investigate the feasibility of non-contrast magnetic resonance angiography of arteries and veins (NATIVE) sampling perfection with application optimized contrasts by using different flip angle evolution (SPACE) and quiescent interval single shot (QISS) in assessing foot arteries of patients with renal insufficiency and foot pain. Fifty-three patients (mean age = 44.2 ± 11.4 years, male: female = 27:26) underwent QISS and NATIVE-SPACE. The source images were reconstructed to maximum intensity projection and volume render. The image quality of QISS and NATIVE-SPACE was rated (0–3, poor to excellent), and was compared using Wilcoxon test. True or false positive was determined by comparing the findings of QISS and NATIVE-SPACE. The relative signal intensity of artery was obtained for each case, and was compared between QISS and NATIVE-SPACE using Mann Whitney test. The acquisition time of NATIVE-SPACE was significantly longer than that of QISS (178.4 ± 35.7 seconds vs 45.4 ± 8.9 seconds, P < .001). QISS had significantly lower image quality score versus NATIVE-SPACE (1.4 ± 0.5 vs 2.4 ± 0.6, P = .02). Fifteen percentage (8/53) NATIVE-SPACE cases had poor image quality due to the similarity of peak flow and minimum flow. The relative signal intensity was significantly lower in QISS versus NATIVE-SPACE (9.7 ± 1.3 vs 68.2 ± 12.4, P < .001). NATIVE-SPACE is valuable in evaluating foot arteries of patients with renal insufficiency. QISS can serve as an alternative test to NATIVE-SPACE.