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Is it necessary to have contrast in the MRV to detect abnormalities in veins and blood flow?

No, it is not, at least according to the protocol used in Euromedic, Katowice

But note that they have to use contrast dye when you get the procedure done--see Dr Sclafani's thread.

shye wrote:But note that they have to use contrast dye when you get the procedure done--see Dr Sclafani's thread.

Yes, this is correct. During the procedure they have to inject dye in order to see where the stenosis is.

I asked the hubbard foundation that exact same question and was told yes, dye is required for the MRV in order to see stenosis.

Curious what the "final answer" is....

SainLouis,

I can only say how they do MRV in Katowice, Poland. I had MRV done without any dye and it showed the stenosis.

They have this funny protocol here. It is different from the normal MRI. I mean you lay in the same machine and for the first 20 minutes it looks like a normal MRI. They are scanning your veins just like that and then for the next 20 minutes operator talks to you and you have to follow his instructions: inhale then exhale then push without breathing for about 20 seconds and so on and so on for 20 minutes. They are taking pictures only when you are pushing. After this MRV I felt like I run 5 kilometers.

I have no idea how they do MRV in other places where liberation treatment is performed

Mila

I was told by Euromedic that they did not have to use gadolinium, and that I could have the MRV without it.

I wonder if insisting on contrast is more of a US doc thing?

The "pulsatile" flow in veins can result in an image showing a vein without blood in it, or a vein with an occlusion.

The contrast will give you evidence that the blood has been there, just not showing up at the moment of the MRV scan. Kinda like a footprint...

so USE CONTRAST!!!

Expensive, time consuming lesson learned...