title: Functional MRI in peripheral arterial disease: arterial peak flow versus ankle-brachial index.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to compare the success rate of successful arterial peak flow (APF) and ankle-brachial index (ABI) measurements in patients with suspected or known peripheral arterial disease (PAD).
  
  
  METHODS
  183 patients with varying degrees of PAD were included. All subjects underwent ABI measurements and MR imaging of the popliteal artery to determine APF. Proportions of patients with successful APF and ABI measurements were compared and the discriminative capability was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  APF was successfully measured in 91% of the patients, whereas the ABI could be determined in 71% of the patients (p<0.01). Success rates of APF and ABI were significantly higher in patients with intermittent claudication (95% and 80%, respectively) than in patients with critical ischemia (87% and 62%, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared to the assessment of PAD severity with ABI, the success rate of MRI-based APF measurements in patients with a clinical indication for MRA is 20% higher, with similar discriminatory capacity for disease severity. Therefore, APF is an especially convenient and valuable measure to assess severity in PAD patients scheduled to undergo MR angiography to obtain additional functional information concerning the vascular status.
authors: Maastricht University Medical Center, Departments of Radiology, Maastricht, The Netherlands ; Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht, Netherlands.
authors: Bas
authors: B
authors: Versluis
authors: Maastricht University Medical Center, Department of Epidemiology, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors: Patty J
authors: PJ
authors: Nelemans
authors: Maastricht University Medical Center, Departments of Radiology, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors: Rutger
authors: R
authors: Brans
authors: Maastricht University Medical Center, Departments of Radiology, Maastricht, The Netherlands ; Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht, Netherlands.
authors: Joachim E
authors: JE
authors: Wildberger
authors: Maastricht University Medical Center, Department of Surgery, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors: Geert-Willem
authors: GW
authors: Schurink
authors: Maastricht University Medical Center, Departments of Radiology, Maastricht, The Netherlands ; Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht, Netherlands.
authors: Tim
authors: T
authors: Leiner
authors: Maastricht University Medical Center, Departments of Radiology, Maastricht, The Netherlands ; Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht, Netherlands.
authors: Walter H
authors: WH
authors: Backes
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D001158:Arteries / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology