Rapid comprehensive evaluation of luminography and hemodynamic function with 3D radially undersampled phase contrast imaging MRI.

Quantitative flow measurements with volumetric coverage and three directional flow encoding are technically feasible with magnetic resonance imaging yet prohibitively long in clinical settings. Data reconstruction from three dimensional angular undersampled MR acquisitions allows for dramatic reductions in scan time with tolerable imaging artifacts in many clinical applications. This approach provides high spatial resolution suitable for hemodynamic analysis in smaller vessels such as the renal artery, thereby providing additional crucial diagnostic information in a non invasive fashion. In an animal model, transstenotic pressure gradient measurements obtained with the novel acquisition scheme compared favorably with invasive intra arterial measurements (r=0.977; 95% CI: 0.931-0.998; p<0.001). In addition, human studies demonstrate the suitability of the technique for lumen measurements as an alternative for contrast enhanced MR Angiography and the associated risks with the use of an external contrast agent in certain patient populations.