Magnetic resonance imaging of small arteries

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with receive-only surface coil technology was used to visualize and quantitative luminal diameters of small arteries in the rat. MRI measurements of normal and aneurysmal aortas, over a diameter range of 1-3 mm, were closely correlated with direct measurements made visually at laparotomy: measured differences averaged 0.16 mm, and the least-squares regression line (R2 = 0.97, P