Extracranial atherosclerotic carotid artery disease: evaluation of non-breath-hold three-dimensional gadolinium-enhanced MR angiography.

Abstract

Routine evaluation of carotid artery stenosis at the level of the bifurcation using non-breath-hold 3D gadolinium-enhanced MR angiography is less accurate than is TOF imaging and is therefore not recommended. The weakness of this technique may be due to problems in timing the injection of gadolinium and the masking of the carotid bifurcation by the venous jugular system.