Published in:
Open Access 01-04-2020 | Magnetic Resonance Imaging | Original Paper
Validation of simple measures of aortic distensibility based on standard 4-chamber cine CMR: a new approach for clinical studies
Published in: Clinical Research in Cardiology | Issue 4/2020
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Objective
Aortic distensibility (AD) represents a well-established parameter of aortic stiffness. It remains unclear, however, whether AD can be obtained with high reproducibility in standard 4-chamber cine CMR images of the descending aorta. This study investigated the intra- and inter-observer agreement of AD based on different angles of the aorta and provided a sample size calculation of AD for future trials.
Methods
Thirty-one patients underwent CMR. Angulation of the descending aorta was performed to obtain strictly transversal and orthogonal cross-sectional aortic areas. AD was obtained both area and diameter based.
Results
For area-based values, inter-observer agreement was highest for 4-chamber AD (ICC 0.97; 95% CI 0.93–99), followed by orthogonal AD (ICC 0.96; 95% CI 0.91–98) and transversal AD (ICC 0.93; 95% CI 0.80–97). For diameter-based values, agreement was also highest for 4-chamber AD (ICC 0.97; 95% CI 0.94–99), followed by orthogonal AD (ICC 0.96; 95% CI 0.92–98) and transversal AD (ICC 0.91; 95% CI 0.77–96). Bland–Altman plots confirmed a small variation among observers. Sample size calculation showed a sample size of 12 patients to detect a change in 4-chamber AD of 1 × 10−3 mmHg−1 with either the area or diameter approach.
Conclusion
AD measurements are highly reproducible and allow an accurate and rapid assessment of arterial compliance from standard 4-chamber cine CMR.
Graphic abstract
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