Andreas Harloff1, Wolf Wallis, Christoph
Strecker, Stephanie Brendecke, Jan Simon, Cornelius Weiller, Jrgen Hennig2,
Michael Markl2
1Neurology, University Hospital
Freiburg, Freiburg, Baden-Wrttemberg, Germany; 2Diagnostic
Radiology/MR Physics
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.