title: Reproducibility of functional aortic analysis using magnetic resonance imaging: the MESA.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the test-retest, intra- and inter-reader reliability of thoracic aorta measurements by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-five participants underwent aortic MRI twice over 13 ± 7 days. All aortic variables from baseline and repeat MR were analysed using a semi-automated method by the ARTFUN software. To assess the inter-study reproducibility of aortic variables, we calculated intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for individual aortic measurements. Intra- and inter-observer variability was also assessed using the baseline MR data. Mean ascending aortic strain had moderate inter-study reproducibility (11.53 ± 6.44 vs. 10.55 ± 6.64, P = 0.443, ICC = 0.53, P < 0.01). Mean descending aortic strain and arch pulse wave velocity (PWV) had good inter-study reproducibility (descending aortic strain: 8.65 ± 5.30 vs. 8.35 ± 5.26, P = 0.706, ICC = 0.74, P < 0.001; PWV: 9.92 ± 4.18 vs. 9.94 ± 4.55, P = 0.968, ICC = 0.77, P < 0.001, respectively). All aortic variables had excellent intra- and inter-observer reproducibility (intra-: ICC range, 0.87-0.99, inter-: ICC range, 0.56-0.99, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inter-study reproducibility of all aortic variables was acceptable. Intra- and inter-observer reproducibility of all aortic variables was excellent. MRI can provide a repeatable method of measuring aortic structural and functional parameters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
authors.forename: Chikara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Noda
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
authors.forename: Bharath
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ambale Venkatesh
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ohyama
authors.affiliation: Radiology and Imaging Sciences, National Institutes of Health/Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: Chia-Ying
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
authors.forename: Elzbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chamera
authors.affiliation: Groupe Hospitalier La Pitié Salpêtrière Sorbonne Universités, UPMC and Laboratoire D'imagerie Fonctionnelle LIB INSERM (UMR-S 1146), ICAN Imaging Core Lab, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Alban
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Redheuil
authors.affiliation: Vall d'Hebron Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Gisela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Teixido-Tura
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Jewish Hospital, Louisville, KY 40202, USA.
authors.forename: Atul R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Chugh
authors.affiliation: National Institutes of Health/Office of Biostatistics Research, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892-7913, USA.
authors.forename: Colin O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine/Cardiology, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
authors.forename: Gregory W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Hundley
authors.affiliation: Radiology and Imaging Sciences, National Institutes of Health/Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Bluemke
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA Department of Medicine and Radiology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, 600 North Wolfe Street, Blalock 524D1, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA jlima@jhmi.edu.
authors.forename: Joao A C
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lima
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003287:Contrast Media; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media
keywords: MRI; aorta; phase contrast; pulse wave velocity; reproducibility; strain