Pediatric body MR angiography

Abstract

Vascular pathology in children is commonplace and involves every organ system; however, the powerful, noninvasive, and rapid three-dimensional imaging capability offered by MR angiography is underutilized in children. The success of pediatric MR angiography depends on modifying the MR angiography on the basis of patient size, hemodynamic status, and clinical indications in children, and requires an adequate understanding of pediatric-specific hardware, software, and equipment requirements. This article provides an overview of general pediatric MR angiography techniques, common indications for body MR angiography in children, and the complementary role of MR angiography to other vascular imaging modalities in children, including CT angiography, Doppler ultrasound, and catheter angiography.