Spinal dural arteriovenous fistula localization with a technique of first-pass gadolinium-enhanced MR angiography: initial experience.

Abstract

Nine patients with initial magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and clinical findings suggestive of spinal dural arteriovenous fistula (AVF) underwent spinal MR angiography with an autotriggered elliptic centric ordered three-dimensional gadolinium-enhanced technique (hereafter, this MR angiographic technique) before conventional intraarterial angiography. In all nine patients, findings with this MR angiographic technique correctly and precisely localized the spinal dural AVF. Observer error resulted in one case in which the site of the fistula was not prospectively reported but was easily identified retrospectively on the spinal MR angiogram.