Murai Sachiko, Hamada Seiki, Ueguchi Takashi, Khankan Azzam A, Sumikawa Hiromitsu, Inoue Atsuo, Tsubamoto Mitsuko, Honda Osamu, Tomiyama Noriyuki, Johkoh Takeshi, Nakamura Hironobu
Department of Radiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
Radiat Med. 2005 Jun;23(4):236-41.
To assess by means of cine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) aortic compliance before and after aortic valve replacement (AVR with SJM valve) in patients with aortic regurgitation (AR).
Two groups (healthy controls and patients with severe isolated AR) of 10 subjects each were included in this study. Cine MRI was performed at three locations of the aorta, and aortic compliance was calculated by dividing the maximum change in the aortic area by pulse pressure.
Cine MRI is useful to assess abnormalities of aortic compliance in patients with AR. Compared with the control group, aortic compliance in the AR group was significantly less in the ascending aorta (p<0.05), decreasing in order of aortic location. After AVR, aortic compliance improved for all locations.
Cine MRI enables assessment of aortic biophysical properties such as a compliance for evaluating the progression of AR and the efficacy of treatment.
