An Experimental Study on the Cause of Signal Inhomogeneity for Magnetic Resonance Angiography Using Phantom Model of Anterior Communicating(A-com) Artery

전교통동맥 모형을 이용한 자기공명혈관촬영술의 신호 불균일에 관한 실험적 연구

Aneurysm-mimicking findings were frequently visualized due to hemodynamical causes of dephasing effects around area of A-com artery during magnetic resonance angiography(MRA) and these kind of phenomena have not been clearly known yet. We investigated the hemodynamical patterns of dephasing effect around area of the A-com artery that might be a cause of false intracranial aneurysms on MRA. For experimental study, We used hand-made silicon phantoms of the asymmetric A-com artery as like a bifurcation configuration. In a closed circulatory system with UHDC computer driven cardiac pump system. MRA and fast digital subfraction angiography(DSA) involved the use of these phantoms. Flow patterns were evaluated with axial and coronal imaging of MRA(2D-TOF, 3D-TOF) and DSA of Phantoms constructed from an automated closed-type circulatory system filled with glycerol solution [circulation fluid(glycerol:water = 1:1.4)]. These findings were then compared with those obtained from computational fluid dynamic(CFD) for inter-experimental correlation study. Imaging findings of MRA, DSA and CFD on inflow zone according to the following: a) MRA demonstrated high signal intensity zone as inflow zone on silicon phantom; b) Patterns of DSA were well matched with MRA on trajectory of inflow zone; and c) CFD were well matched with MRA on the pattern of main flow. Imaging findings of MRA. DSA and CFD on turbulent flow zone according to the following: a) MRA demonstrated hyposignal intensity zone at shoulder and axillar zone of main inflow; b) DSA delineated prominent vortex flow at the same area. The hemodynamical causes of signal defect, which could Induce the false aneurysm on MRA, turned out to be dephasing effects at axilla area of bifurcation from turbulent flow as the results of MRA, DSA and CFD.