[Changes in visualization of cerebral MR angiography with normal aging]

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Radiology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Cerebral artery visualization via MR angiography is crucial for diagnosing cerebrovascular diseases.
• Aging and hypertension are known risk factors impacting cerebrovascular health and potentially affecting imaging quality.
• Understanding these influences is key to accurate interpretation of MR angiograms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of aging and hypertension on the degree of cerebral artery visualization using MR angiography.
• To quantify the correlation between age, hypertension, and the MR grading of specific cerebral arteries.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of MR angiograms from 200 neurologically normal subjects aged 30-79 years.
• Evaluation of cerebral artery visualization (internal carotid artery [IC], M1 segment, distal middle cerebral artery [MCA]) on a 4-degree scale.
• Statistical analysis to determine correlations between age, hypertension, and MR gradings.

Main Results:

• A significant negative correlation was observed between age and MR gradings for all assessed cerebral arteries (p < 0.001).
• Hypertension significantly reduced the MR visualization grade of cerebral arteries.
• In normotensive individuals, visualization of the M1 and distal MCA segments decreased significantly with age.

Conclusions:

• Cerebral artery visualization on MR angiography is negatively influenced by both aging and hypertension.
• The decline in visualization appears to be multifactorial, involving cerebral arteriosclerosis and other aging-related factors.
• These findings highlight the importance of considering patient age and hypertensive status when interpreting MR angiograms of cerebral arteries.