MRI detects increased coronary wall thickness in asymptomatic individuals: the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis (MESA).
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the use of coronary wall MRI as a measure of atherosclerotic disease burden in an asymptomatic population free of clinical cardiovascular disease. Coronary wall magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a noninvasive method for evaluation of arterial wall remodeling associated with atherosclerosis.


METHODS
Asymptomatic participants of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) study were studied using black blood MRI. MRI-assessed coronary wall thickness was compared with computed tomography calcium score, carotid intimal-medial thickness, and risk factors for coronary artery disease.


RESULTS
Eighty-eight arterial segments were evaluated in 38 MESA participants (mean age, 61.3+/-8.7 years). The maximum coronary wall thickness was greater for participants with two or more cardiovascular risk factors than for those with one or no risk factors (2.59+/-0.33 mm vs. 2.36+/-0.30 mm, respectively, P=0.05.) For participants with zero calcium score, the mean and maximum coronary wall thickness for subjects with two or more risk factors for coronary artery disease were greater than the wall thickness for subjects with one or no risk factors (mean thickness: 1.95+/-0.17 mm vs. 1.7+/-0.19 mm; maximum thickness: 2.67+/-0.24 mm vs. 2.32+/-0.27 mm, respectively, P<0.05). Subjects with increased carotid intimal-medial thickness also had increased coronary artery wall thickness (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Coronary artery wall MRI detects increased coronary wall thickness in asymptomatic individuals with subclinical markers of atherosclerotic disease and in individuals with zero calcium score.
Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, USA.
Robson
R
Macedo
Shaoguang
S
Chen
Shenghan
S
Lai
Steven
S
Shea
Ashkan A
AA
Malayeri
Moyses
M
Szklo
João A C
JA
Lima
David A
DA
Bluemke
D000328:Adult; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D015994:Incidence; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014481:United States / Q000208:ethnology