Pulmonary arterial hypertension: an imaging review comparing MR pulmonary angiography and perfusion with multidetector CT angiography

• Published in: British journal of radiology Vol. 85; no. 1019; pp. 1446 - 1456
• Main Authors: JUNQUEIRA, F. P, LIMA, C. M. A. O, COUTINHO, A. C, PARENTE, D. B, BITTENCOURT, L. K, BESSA, L. G. P, DOMINGUES, R. C, MARCHIORI, E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London British Institute of Radiology 01.11.2012; The British Institute of Radiology
• Subjects: Angiography - methods; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiovascular system; Diagnosis, Differential; Familial Primary Pulmonary Hypertension; Humans; Hypertension, Pulmonary - diagnosis; Hypertension, Pulmonary - diagnostic imaging; Hypertension, Pulmonary - pathology; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Magnetic Resonance Angiography - methods; Medical sciences; Pneumology; Pulmonary Artery - diagnostic imaging; Pulmonary Artery - pathology; Pulmonary hypertension. Acute cor pulmonale. Pulmonary embolism. Pulmonary vascular diseases; Radiodiagnosis. Nmr imagery. Nmr spectrometry; Review; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - methods; Nuclear medicine; Radiodiagnosis; Respiratory disease; Lung; Cardiovascular disease; Review; Respiratory system; Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging; Artery; Pulmonary hypertension; Multidetector scanner; Perfusion imaging; Blood vessel; Radiology; Medical imagery; Computerized axial tomography; Circulatory system; NMR angiography; Angiocomputed tomography; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0007-1285; 1748-880X
• DOI: 10.1259/bjr/28150079

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a progressive disease that leads to substantial morbidity and eventual death. Pulmonary multidetector CT angiography (MDCTA), pulmonary MR angiography (MRA) and MR-derived pulmonary perfusion (MRPP) imaging are non-invasive imaging techniques for the differential diagnosis of PH. MDCTA is considered the gold standard for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism, one of the most common causes of PH. MRA and MRPP are promising techniques that do not require the use of ionising radiation or iodinated contrast material, and can be useful for patients for whom such material cannot be used. This review compares the imaging aspects of pulmonary MRA and 64-row MDCTA in patients with chronic thromboembolic or idiopathic PH.