title: Noninvasive detection of coronary artery wall thickening with age in healthy subjects using high resolution MRI with beat-to-beat respiratory motion correction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate coronary artery wall thickening with age in a small healthy cohort using a highly efficient, reliable, and reproducible high-resolution MR technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 3D cross-sectional MR vessel wall images (0.7 × 0.7 × 3 mm resolution) with retrospective beat-to-beat respiratory motion correction (B2B-RMC) were obtained in the proximal right coronary artery of 21 healthy subjects (age, 22-62 years) with no known cardiovascular disease. Lumen and outer wall (lumen + vessel wall) areas were measured in one central slice from each subject and average wall thickness and wall area/outer wall area ratio (W/OW) calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Imaging was successful in 18 (86%) subjects with average respiratory efficiency 99.3 ± 1.7%. Coronary vessel wall thickness and W/OW significantly correlate with subject age, increasing by 0.088 mm and 0.031 per decade respectively (R = 0.53, P = 0.024 and R = 0.48, P = 0.046). No relationship was found between lumen area and vessel wall thickness (P = NS), but outer wall area increased significantly with vessel wall thickness at 19 mm(2) per mm (P = 0.046). This is consistent with outward vessel wall remodeling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the small size of our healthy cohort, using high-resolution MR imaging and B2B-RMC, we have demonstrated increasing coronary vessel wall thickness and W/OW with age. The results obtained are consistent with outward vessel wall remodeling.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Unit, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, Sydney Street, London, UK. a.scott@qmul.ac.uk
authors.forename: Andrew D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Keegan
authors.forename: Raad H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Mohiaddin
authors.forename: David N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Firmin
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009038:Motion; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012119:Respiration