Background: Standard Cartesian time-of-flight (TOF) head magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) is routinely used to evaluate the intracranial arteries, but does not provide quantitative hemodynamic information that is useful for patient risk stratification as well as for monitoring treatment and tracking changes in blood flow over time. Quantitative TOF (qTOF) MRA represents a new and efficient method for simultaneous evaluating the intracranial arteries and quantifying blood flow velocity, but it has not yet been evaluated in patients with cerebrovascular disease.

Purpose: To evaluate qTOF for simultaneously evaluating the intracranial arteries and quantifying intracranial blood flow velocity in patients with cerebrovascular disease, without the need for a phase contrast (PC) scan.

Study Type: Prospective.

Subjects: Twenty-four patients (18 female, 6 male) with cerebrovascular disease.

Field Strength/Sequences: Head MRA at 3 T using gradient-echo 3D qTOF, standard Cartesian TOF, and PC protocols.

Assessment: Three independent readers assessed arterial image quality using a 4-point scale (1: non-diagnostic, 4: excellent) and artifact presence. Total and component flow velocities obtained with qTOF and PC were measured.

Statistical Tests: Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, Gwet's AC2, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for absolute agreement, Bland–Altman analyses, tests of equal proportions. P values <0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results: Averaged across readers and compared to standard Cartesian TOF, qTOF significantly improved overall arterial image quality (3.8 ± 0.2 vs. 3.6 ± 0.5), image quality at locations of pathology (3.7 ± 0.5 vs. 3.4 ± 0.7), and increased the proportion of evaluations rated without artifacts (63.9% [46/72] vs. 37.5% [27/72]). qTOF significantly agreed with PC for total flow velocity (ICC = 0.71) and component flow velocity (ICC = 0.89).

Data Conclusion: qTOF angiography of the head matched or improved upon the image quality of standard Cartesian TOF, reduced image artifacts, and provided quantitative hemodynamic data, without the need for a PC scan.

Evidence Level: 2

Technical Efficacy: Stage 2