title: Thoracic and abdominal aortic diameter measurement by MRI using plain axial volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination in epidemiologic research: a validation study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluates the validity and reliability of measuring the diameters of the thoracic and abdominal aorta from plain volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination (VIBE) images.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 50 male subjects from the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania. They underwent imaging of the thoracic and abdominal aorta at 1.5 Tesla using a contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA) and plain VIBE sequence. Diameters were measured at five predefined anatomic sites from reformatted orthogonal CE-MRA images and axial plain VIBE images. The measurements were validated using Pearson correlation and Bland-Altman analysis. The Bland-Altman method was also used to assess reliability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparison of the diameters measured from CE-MRA and VIBE images revealed strong correlation for the ascending, descending, suprarenal, and infrarenal aorta with r = 0.95 (P < .0001), r = 0.88 (P < .0001), 0.92 (P < .0001), and 0.87 (P < .0001), respectively. Measurement for the aortic arch was moderately correlated with r = 0.78 (P < .0001). Mean bias did not exceed 0.1 cm (6%). The 95% limits of agreement (LOA) were less than 0.5 cm (15%). Intra- and interobserver agreement showed a mean bias of less than 2%; the 95% LOA were less than 11%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Axial measurement of the diameters of the thoracic and abdominal aorta using a plain axial VIBE sequence is highly valid and reliable, making it suitable for use in epidemiologic research.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Germany. birger.mensel@uni-greifswald.de
authors.forename: Birger
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mensel
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hegenscheid
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hesselbarth
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wenzel
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hosten
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Puls
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D019412:Anatomy, Cross-Sectional / Q000379:methods; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000473:pathology*; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000473:pathology*; D015340:Epidemiologic Research Design; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics; D055425:Respiratory-Gated Imaging Techniques; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult