Quiescent Interval Single Shot MR Angiography

Introduction Given the frequency of renal functional impairment in patients with peripheral vascular disease (PVD) and concerns about nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, there is growing interest in unenhanced MRA (1,2). While promising, existing unenhanced MRA methods suffer from limitations that preclude robust clinical application for PVD. An ideal unenhanced method should be fast, easy to use, and insensitive to patient motion, heart rate, and flow patterns. For this purpose, we have implemented quiescent interval single shot (QISS) MRA, which acquires data using a modified single shot two-dimensional (2D) balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) pulse sequence. Technical optimization of QISS MRA was followed by a pilot clinical study in PVD.