Global Pulse Wave Velocity in 87 Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke and Aortic Atherosclerosis

Andreas Harloff¹, Wolf Wallis, Christoph Strecker, Stephanie Brendecke, Jan Simon, Cornelius Weiller, Jrgen Hennig², Michael Markl²

The aim was to evaluate the feasibility of a new method for estimating aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) using flow-sensitive 4D MRI. PWV was calculated by fitting a plane to all available data of the upslope portion of multiple flow waveforms along the entire aorta. The value for the assessment of pulse wave velocity in the thoracic aorta was tested in 12 normal subjects and in 87 patients with advanced aortic atherosclerosis. Analysis included a systematic evaluation of reproducibility, inter- and intra-observer variability. Results indicate a relationship of the estimated compliance with age, aortic shape and the presence of disease.