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Home > Issues > SearchAssessing Vascular Changes Associated with Healthy Aging using 7T Magnetic Resonance Angiography
Journal of Magnetics, Volume 23, Number 1, 31 Mar 2018, Pages 61-67
So-Ra Jang (Department of Radiological Science, College of Health Science, Gachon University), Chan-A Park (Bioimaging Research Team, Division of Bioconvergence Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute), Kyung-Jin Lee (Gachon Advanced Institute for Health Sciences & Technology, Gachon University), Yeong-Bae Lee * 
(Neuroscience Research Institute, Gachon University), Hang-Keun Kim (Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Health Science, Gachon University), Chang-Ki Kang * (Department of Radiological Science, College of Health Science, Gachon University)
(Neuroscience Research Institute, Gachon University), Hang-Keun Kim (Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Health Science, Gachon University), Chang-Ki Kang * (Department of Radiological Science, College of Health Science, Gachon University)
Abstract
Aging is known to produce changes in the cerebral vasculature and circulation. We aimed to quantitatively assess age-related changes in the morphology of small perforating vessels, lenticulostriate arteries (LSAs). LSA
images were acquired using ultra-high field 7-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (7T MRI) from 24 young healthy volunteers (young group: YG) and 25 old healthy volunteers (old group: OG). Vessel-related factors
such as curvature and tortuosity were analyzed using two-dimensional images. Our quantitative results demonstrated a fewer in their branches and a significantly more pronounced curvature in the OG compared to the
YG. These findings were further confirmed qualitatively using image analysis. Our study findings show that MR angiography utilizing ultra-high field MRI can provide high-resolution images that can identify morphological
characteristics of small perforating vessels. Based on these features, it is possible to document ageinduced changes in cerebral small vessels.
images were acquired using ultra-high field 7-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (7T MRI) from 24 young healthy volunteers (young group: YG) and 25 old healthy volunteers (old group: OG). Vessel-related factors
such as curvature and tortuosity were analyzed using two-dimensional images. Our quantitative results demonstrated a fewer in their branches and a significantly more pronounced curvature in the OG compared to the
YG. These findings were further confirmed qualitatively using image analysis. Our study findings show that MR angiography utilizing ultra-high field MRI can provide high-resolution images that can identify morphological
characteristics of small perforating vessels. Based on these features, it is possible to document ageinduced changes in cerebral small vessels.
Keywords: 7T MRI; MRA; lenticulostriate artery; vascular aging; vessel curvature
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4283/JMAG.2018.23.1.061
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