MR Angiography (MRA) is a method of looking at the arteries and veins within the body.

Some scans are able to show flow in the vessels without using any contrast agent injections. For these procedures the patient will simply be asked to lie very still for the duration of the scan.

For scans of the aorta and arteries supplying the lungs, kidneys other organs and limbs a small injection is usually given.

There are numerous advantages of using MRI for this procedure in comparison to older methods such as digital subtraction angiography:

Firstly it is a very quick procedure, some scans take under a minute. Even with preparation time it is faster than conventional methods.

Secondly the injection only involves the use of a small needle into a vein in the arm. This makes for a very patient-friendly and comfortable procedure.

Scan times may vary depending upon the individual case.

MRI of the Blood Vessels (Magnetic Resonance Angiography)

Click on the thumbnails to open a pop-up window containing the full size image. Please note that pop-up stoppers may prevent the new window from opening.