Phase contrast MR imaging to measure changes in collateral blood flow after stenting of recurrent aortic coarctation: initial experience.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the feasibility of using phase contrast magnetic resonance (PC-MR) imaging to measure the change in collateral blood flow early after stenting of aortic coarctation.


METHODS
A total of 10 consecutive patients with coarctation of the aorta underwent MR imaging, X-ray angiography, and stent placement. PC-MR at two sites in the descending aorta was performed before and early after stenting in order to estimate collateral inflow to the descending thoracic aorta. The collateral flow and collateral flow percentage before and after stent placement were compared.


RESULTS
Before stenting, the mean proximal aortic flow = 43.9 +/- 14.6 mL/second; mean distal flow = 54.2 +/- 10 mL/second; collateral flow = 10.2 +/- 6.8 mL/second; and collateral flow percentage = 30.1 +/- 27.9%. After stenting, the mean proximal aortic flow = 62.1 +/- 17.9 mL/second; mean distal flow = 60 +/- 19 mL/second; collateral flow = -1.9 +/- 3.7 mL/second; and collateral flow percentage = -3.3 +/- 6.8%.


CONCLUSIONS
PC-MR can be used to measure changes in collateral circulation after stent treatment of coarctation of the aorta.
Pujadas
Sandra
S
Department of Radiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA. spujadas@santpau.es
Reddy
Gautham P
GP
Weber
Oliver
O
Tan
Christopher
C
Moore
Philip
P
Higgins
Charles B
CB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001011:Aorta / Q000473:pathology*; D001017:Aortic Coarctation / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D003097:Collateral Circulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D015607:Stents