Intravascular 3.0T MR Imaging: A feasibility Study in Swine

Introduction: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a useful imaging tool for visualization of vessel walls and characterization of atherosclerotic lesions, providing high resolution and multiple imaging planes with no risk of radiation. The use of MR technology is, however, limited in imaging of deep-seated arteries, primarily due to insufficient signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) with a surface coil. To solve this problem, scientists have developed intravascular MRI techniques that place intravascular coils, such as a MR imaging-guidewire (MRIG), into deep-seated arteries to create high SNR images of target vessel walls/plaques. To date, most of the reported studies on intravascular MRI have been performed in 1.5T MR scanners. The aim of this study was to validate the feasibility of generating intravascular 3T MRI of deep-seated arteries of near-human-sized swine by using a 3T-MR compatible MRIG.