title: Quantitative assessment of the entire thoracic aorta from magnetic resonance images.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although magnetic resonance imaging is a primary modality for following patients with connective tissue diseases, only a limited amount of the image data is utilised. The purpose of this study was to show the clinical applicability of an automated four-dimensional analysis method of magnetic resonance images of the aorta and develop normative data for the cross-sectional area of the entire thoracic aorta.
  
  
  METHODS
  Magnetic resonance imaging was obtained serially over 3 years from 32 healthy individuals and 24 patients with aortopathy and a personal or family history of connective tissue disorder. Graph theory-based segmentation was used to determine the cross-sectional area for the thoracic aorta. Healthy individual data were used to construct a nomogram representing the maximum cross-sectional area 5th-95th percentile along the entire thoracic aorta. Aortic root diameters calculated from the cross-sectional area were compared to measured diameters from echocardiographic data. The cross-sectional area of the entire thoracic aorta in patients was compared to healthy individuals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Calculated aortic root diameters correlated with measured diameters from echo data - correlation coefficient was 0.74-0.87. The cross-sectional area in patients was significantly greater in the aortic root, ascending aorta, and descending aorta compared to healthy individuals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presentation of the dimensional data for the entire thoracic aorta shows an important clinical tool for following patients with connective tissue disorders and aortopathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Children's Hospital, Iowa City, 52242, United States of America.
authors.forename: Ryan K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Senthil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Premraj
authors.forename: Sonali S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wahle
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stolpen
authors.forename: Milan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sonka
authors.forename: Thomas D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Scholz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000473:pathology*; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results