MRI assessment of aortic flow in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension in response to exercise.

ABSTRACT:

Background

While primarily a right heart disease, pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) can impact left heart function and aortic flow through a shifted interventricular septum from right ventricular pressure overload and reduced left ventricular preload, among other mechanisms. In this study, we used phase contrast (PC) MRI and a modest exercise challenge to examine the effects of PAH on systemic circulation. While exercise challenges are typically performed with ultrasound in the clinic, MRI exercise studies allow for more reproducible image alignment, more accurate flow quantification, and improved tissue contrast.

Methods

Six PAH patients and fifteen healthy controls (8 older age-matched, 7 younger) exercised in the magnet bore with an MRI-compatible exercise device that

SUBMITTER: Macdonald JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6303959 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature