Vascular Surgery Comparison of Preoperative Three-Dimensional Gadolinium-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging to the Operative Assessment of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Anatomy: A Retrospective Study

This paper was presented at the 1996 RSNA meeting. The purpose of this paper was to compare gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and operative evaluation of the anatomic extent of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) and assessment of other visceral arteries and common iliac arteries. A retrospective study was performed on 47 patients who had preoperative gadolinium-enhanced MRA and subsequent AAA repair. The original MRA interpretations were compared to the operative findings. In cases where there was a discrepancy, the MRAs were reassessed. MRA correctly evaluated the proximal extent (distance from renal vessels) of the AAA in 45 of 47 patients (96%), and in all (100%) patients MRA identified the distal extent (relation to aortic bifurcation or extension into iliac vessels) of the aneurysm. Ten of 15 accessory renal arteries were correctly identified (67%). Four of the five missed accessory renal arteries were identified on reassessment. MRA correctly diagnosed 10/12 cases of inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) occlusion. Two, which were called occluded, (continued on next page) at PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIV on May 17, 2016ves.sagepub.comDownloaded from 108 (Abstract continued) were found to be patent on reassessment. MRA correctly diagnosed six retroaortic left renal veins. Three-dimensional magnetic resonance angiography with intravenous admin-istration of gadolinium is a noninvasive method for the preoperative evaluation of abdominal aortic aneurysms. MRA with IV gadolinium can accurately evaluate AAA anatomy before surgical repair