MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING COMPARED WITH ANGIOGRAPHY IN THE EVALUATION OF INTERMEDIATE-TERM RESULT OF COARCTATION BALLOON ANGIOPLASTY

Between July 1986 and December 1990, 24 consecutive adult patients wit h native coarctation of the aorta underwent balloon dilatation. Their ages ranged from 15 to 55 (mean 25) years. Dissection of the aorta dev eloped in one patient. The remaining 23 patients were restudied by cat heterization and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 8 to 60 (mean 21) mo nths after dilatation. Both studies were performed between 1 and 180 ( mean 40) days of each other. The diameter of the aorta at the site of previous coarctation was measured on angiogram and MRI by two independ ent observers. The data were compared by means of linear regression an alysis. The gradient across the previous coarctation site ranged from 0 to 20 (mean 7 +/- 7.3) mm Hg. The diameter of the aorta at the site of previous coarctation measured on angiogram was 13.7 +/- 3.7 mm and on MRI it measured 13.5 +/- 3.7 mm, with excellent correlation (r = 0. 96, SEE = 0.92, p < 0.001). Two patients had small aneurysms 2 cm in d iameter demonstrated by angiography and MRI, and two patients develope d restenosis, diagnosed correctly by both cardiac catheterization and MRI. This study demonstrates that MRI provides excellent visualization of the anatomy of the aorta and is a good noninvasive method for foll ow-up of patients undergoing balloon coarctation angioplasty.