MRI of the gastroepiploic artery used as a bypass graft

J Comput Assist Tomogr. 1992 Jul-Aug;16(4):549-52. doi: 10.1097/00004728-199207000-00009.

Abstract

The right gastroepiploic artery (RGEA) is recognized for its long-term patency as a coronary artery bypass graft, a property shared with the internal thoracic artery. The usefulness of MRI for noninvasive visualization and evaluation of the RGEA graft was assessed using a spine coil as the surface coil in 14 patients with graft patency verified by postoperative angiography. The graft was visualized by spin-echo imaging as a signal-void surrounded by lipomatous tissue with high-signal intensity in all 14 cases. Cine MRI was also performed in 13 of the 14 patients; in each case the graft was confirmed to contain blood flow of high-signal intensity.

MeSH terms

  • Arteries / pathology
  • Arteries / transplantation
  • Cineangiography
  • Coronary Angiography
  • Coronary Artery Bypass*
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
  • Stomach / blood supply*
  • Vascular Patency