2020 年 6 巻 p. 39-43
Aortic arch plaques visualized using transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) are at risk for brain embolism. However, TEE is not suitable for all patients. Therefore, we focused on scan of MRI with T1-weighted (T1w) black blood turbo spin-echo (TSE) imaging. This study aimed to clarify the optimal scanning method for 3D T1w black-blood TSE imaging in the aortic arch. Five healthy volunteers (mean age, 33.8 years; range, 25.0 to 57.0 years) participated in this study. We obtained Institutional Review Board approval and the informed consent of all subjects. All experiments were acquired by volume isotropic TSE acquisition (VISTA) with anti-DRIVE using a 1.5-T magnetic resonance scanner. The study protocol was divided on the basis of two aims: 1) To evaluate the combinations of six patterns of phase direction with and without electrocardiography (ECG) and navigator echo, and 2) to compare the ECG during systole and diastole to determine the optimal trigger timing. We determined that the combination of phase direction foot-head (FH), ECG, and navigator echo was the best scanning method. Furthermore, the optimal trigger timing was during diastole, which showed lesser movement of the vessel wall than during systole. Our results suggest that 3D T1W BB-TSE with anti-DRIVE using the diastolic trigger timing by ECG-gating and navigator echo respiratory gating in the aortic arch can provide beneficial information for clinical practice.
