BLOOD-FLOW PATTERNS IN THE THORACIC AORTA STUDIED WITH 3-DIRECTIONAL MR VELOCITY MAPPING - THE EFFECTS OF AGE AND CORONARY-ARTERY DISEASE

The objective was to investigate how the blood flows in the thoracic a orta, with special emphasis on flow reversal and flow into the coronar y arteries, Three-directional MR velocity mapping was used to map mult idirectional flow velocities in the aorta in 14 normal subjects and 14 patients with coronary artery disease, Dynamic flow vector maps and t hrough-plane velocity maps were used, The flow reversed in all subject s in the upper ascending aorta and usually also in the distal aortic a rch, Retrograde now became antegrade again at various levels in the as cending aorta and in the coronary sinuses, Seven flow characteristics were investigated that, lumped together, were significantly different (P = .0005) in normal subjects compared with patients and in normal su bjects 70 years of age and older compared with those younger than 70 y ears of age.