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Vessel wall and lumen characteristics with age in healthy participants using 3T intracranial vessel wall magnetic resonance imaging
Author(s) -
Cogswell Petrice M.,
Lants Sarah K.,
Davis L. Taylor,
Donahue Manus J.
Publication year - 2019
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.26750
Subject(s) - lumen (anatomy) , medicine , basilar artery , magnetic resonance imaging , lateral wall , intraclass correlation , arterial wall , anatomy , radiology , cardiology , clinical psychology , psychometrics , mechanical engineering , engineering
Background Intracranial vessel wall imaging (VWI) at a clinical field strength of 3T has become more widely available. However, how vessel measurements change with age and sex, over an age range spanning a typical lifespan, are needed. Purpose/Hypothesis To assess for identifiable changes in arterial wall thickness, outer vessel wall diameter, and lumen diameter with age cross‐sectionally in healthy controls without cerebrovascular disease risk factors at the spatial resolution afforded by currently recommended 3T VWI approaches. Study Type Prospective. Population/Subjects Healthy subjects ( n = 82; age = 8–79 years). Field Strength/Sequence 3T intracranial VWI, angiography, and T 1 ‐weighted anatomical imaging. Assessment Two readers measured lumen and outer wall diameters of the supraclinoid internal carotid artery (ICA) and distal basilar artery. Wall thickness and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated. Statistical Tests Separate linear regressions were performed to understand the relationship between wall measurements (lumen diameter, outer vessel wall diameter, and wall thickness) and age, gender, side (left or right); significance: two‐sided P < 0.05. Results Readers showed excellent agreement for lumen and outer wall diameters (ICC 0.83–094). Linear regression of supraclinoid ICA wall measurements showed a statistically significant increase in wall thickness ( P = 0.00051) and outer vessel wall diameter ( P = 0.030) with age. ICA lumen and outer vessel wall diameters were statistically greater in males vs. females (lumen diameter 3.69 ± 0.41 vs. 3.54 ± 0.35 mm, P = 0.026; outer wall diameter 5.78 ± 0.52 vs. 5.56 ± 0.44 mm, P = 0.0089) with a trend toward increase in wall thickness (1.05 ± 0.12 vs. 1.01 ± 0.10 mm, P = 0.055). No significant difference was found in basilar artery wall thickness ( P = 0.45, P = 0.72), lumen diameter ( P = 0.15, P = 0.42), or outer vessel wall diameter ( P = 0.34, P = 0.41) with age or gender, respectively. Data Conclusion Intracranial vessel wall measurements were shown to be consistent between readers. At the available spatial resolution of 3T intracranial VWI sequences, supraclinoid ICA vessel wall thickness and outer vessel wall diameter appear to mildly increase with age. There was no detectable change in basilar artery vessel wall characteristics with age. Level of Evidence: 2 Technical Efficacy: Stage 3 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;50:1452–1460.