Cardiovascular aging: Insights from local and regional measures of aortic stiffness using magnetic resonance imaging
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.artres.2014.01.005How to use a DOI?
- Keywords
- Cardiovascular aging; Magnetic resonance imaging; Aortic stiffness; Distensibility; Pulse wave velocity
- Abstract
Aortic stiffness is now established as an independent marker of cardiovascular aging and cardiovascular risk. However, the specific role of the proximal aorta, specifically the ascending aorta, remains understudied. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a non-invasive technique has recently been proposed to measure new local and regional imaging biomarkers of stiffness in the thoracic aorta. We will here review recent data on aortic stiffness assessed by MRI. We will discuss the methodological advantages and challenges of MRI, combined with applanation tonometry, to evaluate local aortic distensibility and pulse wave velocity (PWV) and summarize available results concerning the age related distribution of such parameters.
Aortic distensibility has been shown to be an early subclinical marker of vascular target organ damage in the general population and expected ranges for ascending aortic distensibility and aortic arch pulse wave velocity assessed in MRI have been described. Changes in aortic distensibility and arch PWV have been related to age-related geometric changes, specifically lengthening, enlargement and unfolding of the thoracic aorta. Increased proximal aortic stiffness measured by MRI has also been related to decreased systolic and diastolic function and concentric remodeling of the left ventricule in healthy individuals.
- Copyright
- © 2014 Association for Research into Arterial Structure and Physiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
- Open Access
- This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license.
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TY - JOUR AU - Alban Redheuil PY - 2014 DA - 2014/03/14 TI - Cardiovascular aging: Insights from local and regional measures of aortic stiffness using magnetic resonance imaging JO - Artery Research SP - 66 EP - 72 VL - 8 IS - 2 SN - 1876-4401 UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.artres.2014.01.005 DO - 10.1016/j.artres.2014.01.005 ID - Redheuil2014 ER -