title: Quantification of blood flow in the middle cerebral artery with phase-contrast MR imaging.
abstract: The aim of this study was to assess blood flow in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) according to age, gender, and side. Eighty-eight subjects without carotid obstruction were measured for mean velocity, vessel area, and volume flow rates of both MCA with phase-contrast MR. A high-resolution sequence with a matrix of 300 x 512 and a double oblique localizing strategy was used for measurement. A mean velocity of 33 +/- 6.8 cm/s, a mean vessel area of 6.2 +/- 1.2 mm2 and a mean flow rate of 121 +/- 28 ml/min were measured in the MCA. Lower volume flow rates were seen in subjects aged over 50 years (p < 0.01). When comparing women with men, a lower vessel area (p < 0.05) of the MCA was counterbalanced by a higher velocity, resulting in no significant difference of the volume flow rate. No difference occurred between the right and the left side. Flow reduction occurs in the elderly. A lower vessel area of the MCA in women is compensated by a higher velocity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Hospital of Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Stock
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Wetzel
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Lyrer
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Radü
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000473:pathology*; D002539:Cerebral Arterial Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020768:Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000473:pathology*; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000473:pathology; D012737:Sex Factors