Detection of Time Delay for Aortic Compliance Evaluation

Yi Wang^1,2, Jianping Zhang³, Edwin Estrada¹, Jing Han¹, Nathaniel Reichek^1,2

Aortic pulse wave velocity, a measurement of the flow pulse traveling along aorta as a surrogate for aortic compliance, can be assessed using a single plane breath-hold phase contrast imaging technique. Accurate determination of the time delay (Δ;t) between flows in ascending and descending aorta is critical. Various approaches have been studied for & Δ;t, including measuring the intervals between flow onset points, between maximal flow points, and between parallel upslopes after least squares fittings. We compared four automated approaches for time delay detection and evaluated their effects on aortic compliance and their relationship to age in normal volunteers.