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DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1373574
Vascular and extra-vascular pathologies in magnetic resonance angiography of the thoracic aorta and the origin of the great vessels
The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of relevant vascular and incidental extra-vascular findings in patients undergoing magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) of the thoracic aorta and origin of the great vessels.
165 consecutive patients (mean age 61 ± 12 years) underwent 1.5 Tesla MRA of the thorax. Two researchers identified vascular and incidental extra-vascular findings. Clinically relevant vascular findings were defined. Extra-vascular findings were categorized as minor (Group A, without change in patient treatment), intermediate (Group B, unclear clinical relevance, requiring additional investigations), and major (Group C, causing a change in patient treatment).
A total of 306 relevant vascular findings were found in our cohort. A total of 397 extra-vascular findings were observed among the patients and were classified as Group A findings in 81.9% (325/397 findings, observed in 146 of 165 patients), as Group B findings in 15.4% (61/397 findings, observed in 52 of 165 patients), and as Group C in 2.8% of findings (11/397). The clinically relevant Group C findings were observed in 6.7% of patients (11/165), comprising 8 previously unknown neoplasms (4.8% of 165), two patients with hemodynamically relevant pericardial effusion (1.2% of 165), and one patient with spondylodiscitis (0.6% of 165) detected by the MRA.
Relevant vascular and extra-vascular findings were found in patients referred to thoracic MRA. Most extra-vascular findings can be categorized by the MRA as minor, whilst others require further diagnostics since they may be malignant or otherwise clinically relevant.