MR Detects Coronary Vessel Wall Imaging with Age in Healthy Subjects

Andrew David Scott^1,2, Jennifer Keegan^1,2, Raad H Mohiaddin^1,2, David Firmin^1,2

Autopsy studies have shown that the coronary vessel wall thickens with age. There is, however, a need for a non-invasive, radiation free technique for assessing the coronary wall in longitudinal studies of disease. Beat-to-beat respiratory motion correction (B2B-RMC) is a highly efficient technique (typically >99% efficient) for respiratory motion correction in MR coronary vessel wall imaging. We studied 21 healthy subjects using dark blood prepared high resolution (0.7x0.7x3.0mm) 3D spiral imaging with B2B-RMC. For the first time using non-invasive imaging, we demonstrate significantly increasing coronary vessel wall thickness and wall/outer wall ratio (W/OW) with age in healthy subjects.