Fibromuscular Dysplasia of the Main Renal Arteries: Comparison of Contrast-enhanced MR Angiography with Digital Subtraction Angiography

Purpose: To retrospectively evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of contrast material–enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) angiography by using digital subtraction angiography as the reference standard in patients with hypertension and renal artery fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD). Materials and Methods: Institutional review board approval was obtained, with waiver of informed consent. The results of renal contrast-enhanced MR angiography were retrospectively analyzed in 25 patients with hypertension (24 women, one man; mean age, 48 years ± 19 [standard deviation]; age range, 18–72 years) who had FMD diagnosed on the basis of clinical and angiographic features. All examinations were performed at 1.5 T. Results were analyzed by two readers, and a third reader established a consensus in case of discrepancy. Sensitivity, specificity, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for FMD and for each possible type of FMD lesion ("string of pearls" appearance, stenosis, and aneurysm). A linear-weighted κ statistic was calculated to determine agreement between digital subtraction angiography and contrast-enhanced MR angiography for the diagnosis of FMD and to determine inter- and intraobserver agreement regarding FMD diagnosis. Results: Fifty main renal arteries were analyzed, 35 of which demonstrated abnormal arteriographic features of FMD (stenosis, 22 arteries; string of pearls, 21 arteries; and aneurysm, four arteries). The sensitivity and specificity of contrast-enhanced MR angiography for the diagnosis of FMD were 97% (95% CI: 83%, 100%) and 93% (95% CI: 66%, 100%), respectively. Sensitivity was 68% (95% CI: 83%, 100%), 95% (95% CI: 74%, 100%), and 100% (95% CI: 40%, 100%) for the diagnosis of stenosis, string of pearls, and aneurysm, respectively. Linear-weighted κ statistics for inter- and intraobserver agreement regarding FMD diagnosis were 0.63 and 0.92, respectively. Conclusion: In patients with renal FMD, contrast-enhanced MR angiography can reliably facilitate diagnosis by demonstrating characteristic lesions. © RSNA, 2006