Measurement of pulse wave velocity using magnetic resonance imaging.

Arterial stiffness has a strong relationship with cardiovascular disease. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is increasingly used as a measure of arterial stiffness. The calculation of PWV requires accurate measurement of blood flow velocity and aortic length. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we are able to accurately acquire blood flow velocity and to virtually measure the aortic length inside the central aorta. Manual measurement of aorta length is inaccurate and subjective. In this study, we set out to develop a method which automatically locates the thoracic aorta and measures aortic length, allowing noninvasive measurement of PWV derived from the aortic flow. Our method is novel, efficient and robust. This offers a reliable and convenient tool for PWV measurement allowing detailed non invasive assessment of cardiovascular risk.