MR angiography of the venous system of lower extremities with gadolinium-enhanced fat spoiled GRASS

MR angiography (MRA) of the venous system of the lower extremities was carried out in 10 patients with varicose veins using the Gd-DTPA-enhanced Fast Spoiled GRASS (FSPGR) method. The quality of imaging of the popliteal vein (n=20), calf deep vein (n=20), varicose vein (n=12), and femoral vein (n=6) were assessed in terms of four categories: excellent, good, marginally adequate and nondiagnostic. Nineteen popliteal veins, seventeen calf deep veins, and nine varicose veins were judged as excellent or good. All femoral veins were evaluated as excellent. Enhanced FSPGR was useful for the preoperative evaluation of patients with varicose veins. (author)