Background Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) represents a clinical reference standard for the in vivo assessment of the vasculature. In this study, the potential of non-contrast-enhanced and contrast-enhanced angiography of the head/neck vasculature in mice on a clinical MR imaging system was tested. Methods All in vivo magnetic resonance imaging was performed with a 3T clinical system (Siemens). Non-contrast-enhanced (time-of-flight, TOF) and contrast-enhanced angiography (gadofosveset-trisodium, GdT) were performed in C57BL/6J mouse strain. Lumen-to-muscle ratios (LMRs) and area measurements were assessed. Histology was performed as reference standard of all relevant vascular structures. Results A close correlation between TOF (R 2 = 0.79; p < 0.05) and contrast-enhanced (GdT) angiography (R 2 = 0.92; p < 0.05) with histological area measurements was found. LMRs were comparable between both sequences. Regarding interobserver reproducibility, contrast-enhanced (GdT) angiography yielded a smaller 95% confidence interval and a closer interreader correlation compared to non-contrast-enhanced (TOF) measurements (-0.73-0.89; R 2 = 0.81 vs. -0.55-0.56; R 2 = 0.94). Conclusion This study demonstrates that non-contrast-enhanced and contrast-enhanced angiographies of the head/neck vasculature of small animals can reliably performed on a clinical 3T MR scanner. Contrast-enhanced angiography enables the visualization of vascular structures with higher intravascular contrast and higher reproducibility.

中文翻译：

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在临床MRI系统上对小鼠头/颈血管系统进行MR血管造影。

背景技术磁共振血管造影（MRA）代表了体内评估脉管系统的临床参考标准。在这项研究中，测试了在临床MR成像系统上对小鼠头/颈脉管进行非对比增强和对比增强血管造影的潜力。方法所有体内磁共振成像均使用3T临床系统（Siemens）进行。在C57BL / 6J小鼠品系中进行了非造影剂增强（飞行时间，TOF）和造影剂增强血管造影（gadofosveset-三钠，GdT）。评估了流明比（LMR）和面积测量。组织学作为所有相关血管结构的参考标准。结果TOF（R 2 = 0.79; p <0.05）和对比增强（GdT）血管造影（R 2 = 0.92; p <0）之间密切​​相关。05）发现具有组织学区域的测量值。两个序列之间的LMR相当。关于观察者之间的可重复性，与非对比增强（TOF）测量相比，对比增强（GdT）血管造影产生的95％置信区间较小，阅读器间相关性更小（-0.73-0.89； R 2 = 0.81对-0.55-0.56 ； R 2 ＝ 0.94）。结论这项研究表明，在临床3T MR扫描仪上可以可靠地执行小动物的头部/颈部血管的非造影和造影增强血管造影。造影剂造影可以使血管结构可视化，并具有更高的血管内对比度和更高的再现性。与非对比增强（TOF）测量相比，对比增强（GdT）血管造影产生较小的95％置信区间和更紧密的阅读器相关性（-0.73-0.89； R 2 = 0.81对-0.55-0.56； R 2 = 0.94）。结论这项研究表明，在临床3T MR扫描仪上可以可靠地执行小动物的头部/颈部血管的非造影和造影增强血管造影。造影剂造影可以使血管结构可视化，并具有更高的血管内对比度和更高的再现性。与非对比增强（TOF）测量相比，对比增强（GdT）血管造影产生较小的95％置信区间和更紧密的阅读器相关性（-0.73-0.89； R 2 = 0.81对-0.55-0.56； R 2 = 0.94）。结论这项研究表明，在临床3T MR扫描仪上可以可靠地执行小动物的头部/颈部血管的非造影和造影增强血管造影。造影剂造影可以使血管结构可视化，并具有更高的血管内对比度和更高的再现性。结论这项研究表明，在临床3T MR扫描仪上可以可靠地执行小动物的头部/颈部血管的非造影和造影增强血管造影。造影剂造影可以使血管结构可视化，并具有更高的血管内对比度和更高的再现性。结论这项研究表明，在临床3T MR扫描仪上可以可靠地执行小动物的头部/颈部血管的非造影和造影增强血管造影。造影剂造影可以使血管结构可视化，并具有更高的血管内对比度和更高的再现性。