OBJECTIVETo assess the clinical value of three-dimensional contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (3D-CE-MRA) in the diagnosis of mesenteric arteriosclerosis.

METHODS3D-CE-MRA of the mesenteric arteries was performed in 21 patients with 23 healthy subjects as the control. After 3D image reconstruction and maxi intense projection, and the abnormalities of the mesenteric arteries were observed and analyzed. The diameter and number of the arterial branches were compared between the patients and the control subjects.

RESULTSAll the 21 patients suffered arteriosclerosis in the arteries other than the mesenteric arteries. On 3D-CE-MRA, mesenteric arteriosclerosis was characterized by thinning of the arterial trunk, luminal stenosis, irregular arterial margins and homo- or heterogeneous thickening of vascular walls. Multiple filling defects were found in the mesenteric artery lumens with reduced second order branches, which showed rigid lining with dashed line appearance or disappeared in some cases. The inferior mesenteric arteries were seen in only 2 patients. The diameters of superior and inferior mesenteric arteries were 3.8-/+0.32 mm and 1.20-/+0.12 mm in the patients, significantly smaller than those of in the control subjects (6.51-/+1.01 mm and 2.90-/+0.90 mm, respectively, P<0.01). The number of the mesenteric artery branch of the patients was also significantly reduced as compared with that in the control subjects (P<0.05). In som cases, the intestinal enhancement was attenuated with the intestinal contraction, dilatation and lowering of the intestinal tension.

CONCLUSION3D-CE-MRA can clearly display mesenteric arteriosclerosis and secondary intestinal changes, and provides a useful means for the diagnosis and assisting the therapy of mesenteric arteriosclerosis.