Time-of-flight-, phase contrast and contrast enhanced magnetic resonance angiography for pre-interventional determination of aneurysm size, configuration, and neck morphology in an aneurysm model in rabbits.

We describe three different magnetic resonance (MR)-angiography techniques to evaluate aneurysm size, configuration, and neck morphology of experimentally created aneurysms in a rabbit model. In five New Zealand White rabbits an aneurysm was created by endovascular occlusion of the right common carotid artery (CCA) using a pliable balloon and subsequent endoluminal incubation of elastase within the proximal CCA above the balloon and distal ligation of the vessel. In all animals, time-of-flight (TOF), phase contrast and contrast enhanced (CE) MR angiographies (MRA) were performed and compared to conventional digital subtraction angiography results. We found, that aneurysms are best visualized employing CE MRA, however, neck morphology was also found to demonstrate interpretable results when evaluating the axial source data of the TOF MRA. The animal model we used can be employed for testing endovascular devices such as new coil material, or covered stents. The described MRA techniques might then be helpful for pre-interventional planning and maybe even for the follow-up of the thus treated aneurysms.