Quantification of aortic stiffness in stroke patients using 4D flow MRI in comparison with transesophageal echocardiography

AbstractTo quantify stiffness of the descending aorta (DAo) in stroke patients using 4D flow MRI and compare results with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). 48 acute stroke patients undergoing 4D flow MRI and TEE were included. Intima-media-thickness (IMT) was measured in the DAo and the aorta was scrutinized for atherosclerotic plaques using TEE. Stiffness of the DAo was determined by (a) 4D flow MRI at 3  T by calculating pulse wave velocity (PWV) and by (b) TEE calculating arterial strain, stiffness index, and distensibility coefficient. Mean IMT was 1.43 ± 1.75. 7 (14.6%) subjects had no sign of atherosclerosis, 10 (20.8%) had IMT-thickening or plaques <  4 mm, and 31 (66.7%) had at least one large and/or complex plaque in the aorta. Increased IMT significantly correlated (p <  0.001) with increased DAo stiffness in MRI (PWVr = 0.66) and in TEE (strainr = 0.57, stiffness indexr = 0.64, distensibility coefficientr = 0.57). Patients with at least IMT-thickening had significantly higher stiffness values compared to patients without atherosclerosis. However, no difference was observed between patients with plaques <  4 mm and patients with plaques ≥ 4 mm. PWV and TEE parameters of stiffness correlated significantly [strain (r = − 0.36; p = 0.011), stiffness index (r = 0.51; p = 0.002), and distensibility coefficient (r = − 0.59; p <  0.001)]. 4D flow MRI and TEE-based parameters of aor...
Source: The International Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging - Category: Radiology Source Type: research