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Breathhold time‐resolved three‐directional MR velocity mapping of aortic flow in patients after aortic valve‐sparing surgery
Author(s) -
Liu Xin,
Weale Peter,
Reiter Gert,
Kino Aya,
Dill Karin,
Gleason Thomas,
Carroll Tim,
Carr James
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of magnetic resonance imaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.563
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1522-2586
pISSN - 1053-1807
DOI - 10.1002/jmri.21685
Subject(s) - medicine , ascending aorta , aortic valve , aneurysm , aorta , laminar flow , cardiology , radiology , physics , thermodynamics
Purpose To evaluate the utility of breathhold time‐resolved three‐directional MR velocity mapping for quantifying the restoration of normal flow patterns in patients after aortic valve‐sparing surgery. Materials and Methods Breathhold time‐resolved three‐directional MR velocity mapping was performed on 13 patients with aortic valve‐sparing surgery. Ten healthy volunteers and 12 patients with ascending aortic aneurysm underwent the same MR examination for comparison. Aortic laminar flow, turbulent flow, and the presence of vortical flow in the sinuses of Valsalva were semiquantitatively assessed and statistically compared between the three groups of subjects. Results The average score of laminar flow in the ascending aorta for patients with surgery was not significantly different from that of volunteers ( P = 0.210), but was significantly greater than that of patients with aneurysm ( P < 0.01). The average score of turbulent flow in patients with surgery was significantly smaller than that of patients with aneurysm ( P < 0.01). The presence of systolic vortical flow in the sinuses of Valsalva for patients with surgery was not significantly different from that of healthy volunteers ( P = 0.405) and patients with aneurysm ( P = 0.238). Conclusion Breathhold time‐resolved three‐directional MR velocity mapping allows for quantifying flow patterns in the aortic root and ascending aorta. Normal laminar flow in the ascending aorta and vortical flow in the sinuses of Valsalva can be restored in patients after aortic valve‐sparing surgery. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2009;29:569–575. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.