Fast field echo imaging in aortic dissection

Five patients with known dissections were examined by fast field echo (FFE) imaging using a high-field-strength system (1.5 T). With ECG-gating, a series of 16 consecutive images of a single section through the aortic dissection was obtained, providing images in different phases of the cardiac cycle. In all cases phase differences in blood flow between the true and false lumen could be depicted, with a small flip angle and short echo time. Based on these preliminary results, the authors conclude that FFE imaging with appropriate flip angles and short echo time in combination with high magnetic field strength will provide important additional information for diagnoses of aortic dissection