Inflow-based pulse wave velocity profiling along the aorta using magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

In a method and magnetic resonance (MR) apparatus for pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurement along the aorta of a subject using MR imaging, a multislice cardio synchronized segmented ciné MR data acquisition sequence is optimized in order to enhance inflow representation in the slice images, in order to make the multislice MR data acquisition sequence viable for clinical uses, so as to acquire intensity-based MR data from two transverse slices spaced from each other along the descending aorta. The respective intensities of relevant pixels in at least two respective slice images are analyzed in order to identify the arrival of a pulse wave in the respective slices by the onset of flow enhancement in the slices, represented by intensity changes in the pixels. From the onset of flow enhancement in the respective slice images, PWV is calculated. An electronic signal representing the calculated PWV is then provided from a computer.