P2.05: Carotid Pulse Wave Velocity Can be Measured Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients with Carotid Artery Disease

• Published in: Artery research Vol. 7; no. 3-4; p. 120
• Main Authors: Yong, Y. P., Altaf, N., MacSweeney, S. T., Auer, D. P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 2013; Springer Nature B.V; BMC
• Subjects: Carotid arteries; Conference Abstract; Magnetic resonance imaging
• ISSN: 1872-9312; 1876-4401; 1876-4401
• DOI: 10.1016/j.artres.2013.10.067

Objectives
Carotid artery stiffness has been suggested to alter local haemo-dynamic and arterial remodelling. It has also been shown to be associated with ischaemic stroke. The aim of this pilot study is to assess the feasibility of measuring carotid pulse wave velocity (cPWV) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with carotid stenosis.
Methods
Patients with stenosis (30–99%) at the carotid bifurcation on duplex ultrasonography were recruited. Non-segmented through-plane velocity was acquired perpendicular to the internal and common carotid arteries to maximise velocity acquisition. Flow images were analysed to convert signal intensity to velocity. The time delay between the pulse waves was determined by plotting the velocity-time curve. The distance travel by the pulse waves was measured on carotid artery time-of-flight images.
Results
22 patients (14 men, mean age 73±8) with at least one carotid stenosis between 30% and 99% were assessed. Both the intra-class correlation for image acquisition reproducibility and flow data analysis were 0.99 (p<0.001). The median (range) cPWV was highest in 30–49% (7.56 m/s (range 4.49–10.64)) and 50–59% (6.47 m/s (range 4.71–19.74)) stenosis with mean path length of 46mm.
Conclusion
Carotid pulse wave velocity in patients with carotid artery stenosis is feasible to be measured using MRI. This method is highly reproducible with good intra-observer consistency. Further work is needed to explain the pathophysiology of cPWV in patients with mild and moderate carotid stenosis.