MR-guided balloon angioplasty: in vitro demonstration of the potential of MRI for guiding, monitoring, and evaluating endovascular interventions

J Magn Reson Imaging. 1998 Jan-Feb;8(1):245-50. doi: 10.1002/jmri.1880080141.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the potential of MRI for guiding, monitoring, and evaluating endovascular interventions. This was done by investigating the feasibility of MR-guided balloon angioplasty in a stenosed vessel model. Catheters and guidewires were prepared for susceptibility-based MR visualization by incorporating paramagnetic markers into their walls. Near real-time monitoring (up to 1 image/sec) of the interventional procedure was achieved by using a dynamic two-dimensional gradient-echo technique. Devices were localized by on-the-fly subtraction of a baseline image from consecutive dynamic images and by merging the subtraction images with a previously acquired road map. All steps involved in balloon angioplasty, from the introduction and placement of a guidewire to the positioning of a catheter across the stenosis, inflation of the balloon, and dilatation of the stenosis could adequately be monitored with MR fluoroscopy. The beneficial effect of dilatation could be substantiated by a reduction of stenosis-related hypointensities and hyperintensities in the posttreatment MR angiogram as compared to the pretreatment angiogram and by a posttreatment increase of the volumetric flow rate.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Angioplasty, Balloon / methods*
  • Constriction, Pathologic / therapy
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Angiography / methods*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*
  • Models, Cardiovascular
  • Radiology, Interventional / methods