Fabian A Kari1, Nadja Kocher2, Friedhelm Beyersdorf2, Anke Tscheuschler2, Philipp Meffert2, Bartosz Rylski2, Matthias Siepe2, Maximilian F Russe3, Michael D Hope4. 1. Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Heart Center Freiburg University, Freiburg, Germany fabian.alexander.kari@universitaets-herzzentrum.de. 2. Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Heart Center Freiburg University, Freiburg, Germany. 3. Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. 4. Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The impact of specific blood flow patterns within ascending aortic and/or aortic root aneurysms on aortic morphology is unknown. We investigated the interrelation of ascending aortic flow compression/peripheralization and aneurysm morphology with respect to sinotubuar junction (STJ) definition. METHODS: Thirty-one patients (aortic root/ascending aortic aneurysm >45 mm) underwent flow-sensitive 4D magnetic resonance thoracic aortic flow measurement at 3 Tesla (Siemens, Germany) at two different institutions (Freiburg, Germany, and San Francisco, CA, USA). Time-resolved image data post-processing and visualization of mid-systolic, mid-ascending aortic flow were performed using local vector fields. The Flow Compression Index (FCI) was calculated individually as a fraction of the area of high-velocity mid-systolic flow over the complete cross-sectional ascending aortic area. According to aortic aneurysm morphology, patients were grouped as (i) small root, eccentric ascending aortic aneurysm (STJ definition) and (ii) enlarged aortic root, non-eccentric ascending aortic aneurysm with diffuse root and tubular enlargement. RESULTS: The mean FCI over all patients was 0.47 ± 0.5 (0.37-0.99). High levels of flow compression/peripheralization (FCI <0.6) were linked to eccentric aneurysm morphology (Group A, n = 11), while low levels or absence of aortic flow compression/peripheralization (FCI >0.8) occurred more often in Group B (n = 20). The FCI was 0.48 ± 0.05 in Group A and 0.78 ± 0.14 in Group B (P < 0.001). Distribution of bicuspid aortic valve (P = 0.6) and type of valve dysfunction (P = 0.22 for aortic stenosis) was not found to be different between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Irrespective of aortic valve morphology and function, ascending aortic blood flow patterns are linked to distinct patterns of ascending aortic aneurysm morphology. Implementation of quantitative local blood flow analyses might help to improve aneurysm risk stratification in the future.
OBJECTIVES: The impact of specific blood flow patterns within ascending aortic and/or aortic root aneurysms on aortic morphology is unknown. We investigated the interrelation of ascending aortic flow compression/peripheralization and aneurysm morphology with respect to sinotubuar junction (STJ) definition. METHODS: Thirty-one patients (aortic root/ascending aortic aneurysm >45 mm) underwent flow-sensitive 4D magnetic resonance thoracic aortic flow measurement at 3 Tesla (Siemens, Germany) at two different institutions (Freiburg, Germany, and San Francisco, CA, USA). Time-resolved image data post-processing and visualization of mid-systolic, mid-ascending aortic flow were performed using local vector fields. The Flow Compression Index (FCI) was calculated individually as a fraction of the area of high-velocity mid-systolic flow over the complete cross-sectional ascending aortic area. According to aortic aneurysm morphology, patients were grouped as (i) small root, eccentric ascending aortic aneurysm (STJ definition) and (ii) enlarged aortic root, non-eccentric ascending aortic aneurysm with diffuse root and tubular enlargement. RESULTS: The mean FCI over all patients was 0.47 ± 0.5 (0.37-0.99). High levels of flow compression/peripheralization (FCI <0.6) were linked to eccentric aneurysm morphology (Group A, n = 11), while low levels or absence of aortic flow compression/peripheralization (FCI >0.8) occurred more often in Group B (n = 20). The FCI was 0.48 ± 0.05 in Group A and 0.78 ± 0.14 in Group B (P < 0.001). Distribution of bicuspid aortic valve (P = 0.6) and type of valve dysfunction (P = 0.22 for aortic stenosis) was not found to be different between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Irrespective of aortic valve morphology and function, ascending aortic blood flow patterns are linked to distinct patterns of ascending aortic aneurysm morphology. Implementation of quantitative local blood flow analyses might help to improve aneurysm risk stratification in the future.
Authors: Fabian A Kari; Shafi S Fazel; R Scott Mitchell; Michael P Fischbein; D Craig Miller Journal: J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg Date: 2012-06-13 Impact factor: 5.209
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Authors: Michael D Hope; Thomas A Hope; Alison K Meadows; Karen G Ordovas; Thomas H Urbania; Marcus T Alley; Charles B Higgins Journal: Radiology Date: 2010-04 Impact factor: 11.105
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Authors: Pavlo Yevtushenko; Florian Hellmeier; Jan Bruening; Sarah Nordmeyer; Volkmar Falk; Christoph Knosalla; Marcus Kelm; Titus Kuehne; Leonid Goubergrits Journal: Biophys J Date: 2019-07-22 Impact factor: 4.033
Authors: Anke Tscheuschler; Philipp Meffert; Friedhelm Beyersdorf; Claudia Heilmann; Nadja Kocher; Xenia Uffelmann; Philipp Discher; Matthias Siepe; Fabian A Kari Journal: PLoS One Date: 2016-11-01 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: M Kelm; L Goubergrits; J Bruening; P Yevtushenko; J F Fernandes; S H Sündermann; F Berger; V Falk; T Kuehne; S Nordmeyer Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2017-08-29 Impact factor: 4.379