Assessment of thoracic vasculature in patients with central bronchogenic carcinoma by unenhanced magnetic resonance angiography: comparison between 2D free-breathing TrueFISP 2D breath-hold TrueFISP and 3D respiratory-triggered SPACE

摘要

BackgroundPreoperative assessment of the integrity of major thoracic vessels in central bronchogenic carcinoma is vital for tumor staging and treatment planning. Contrast-enhanced CT is currently the first choice of modality for this purpose in clinical practice with limitations including exposure to ionizing radiation and the use of iodinated contrast material. MRI has been increasingly employed for the staging of lung cancer. More recently, unenhanced magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) which is totally non-invasive and contrast-free has been reported able to show thoracic vessels. This study was to compare image qualities of three unenhanced-MRAs and to evaluate accuracy of them in assessing thoracic vessel invasion by using contrast-enhanced CT as a reference standard.