Vascular screening in asymptomatic subjects using non-contrast MRA

Methods We performed vascular screening including the coronary, carotid, renal arteries and aorta using MRA (1.5 T commercial scanner, Toshiba Medical Systems Excelart Vantage TM powered by Atlas) and biochemistry tests in asymptomatic subjects from October 2008 to July 2011. Imaging of carotid arteries was performed by time of flight methods. Imaging of coronary arteries was performed by corrected respiratory-triggered and cardiactriggered steady-state-free-precision (SSFP) sequence with fat suppression and T2 preparation. The data of the magnetic resonance coronary angiography (MRCA) was transferred to the workstation with image reconstruction software (AZE VirtualPlace Fujin, AZE Ltd., Tokyo, Japan). Imaging of renal arteries was performed by steady-state-free-precision (SSFP) sequence with time-SLIP pulse. The diseases of the aorta were detected by sagittal images of the coronary artery and coronal images of the renal artery by which the whole aorta from the ascending aorta to common iliac arteries was covered.