Measuring blood flow in the aorta

Quantifying Blood Flow in the Aorta Using Phase-Contrast 4D Flow MRI - Phase 2

4D-flow MRI will be used to map aortic blood flow in healthy adults to see how flow patterns change with age and gender.

Quick facts

• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 70 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years to 85 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: University of Twente (other)
• Locations: 1 site (Enschede, Overijssel)
• Trial ID: NCT07577752 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This observational project will obtain PC 4D-flow MRI scans from seventy healthy volunteers to quantify local blood flow in the thoraco-abdominal aorta and primary side branches. A separate MRI sequence will capture the 3D vessel geometry from the ascending aorta down to the internal and external iliac arteries. Participants will also complete a brief questionnaire about age, weight, height, and gender so flow patterns can be related to these factors. Extracted flow measurements and boundary conditions will be used to support future in-vitro and in-silico modelling studies.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Healthy adults aged 18 or older with BMI ≤ 30, no history of cardiovascular disease, ability to undergo MRI, and capacity to provide informed consent.

Not a fit: People with known or current cardiovascular disease, irregular heart rhythms, BMI over 30, or standard MRI exclusions (for example pacemakers, cerebral clips, pregnancy, or severe claustrophobia) are unlikely to be eligible or to benefit from participation.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the work will create detailed baseline maps of normal aortic blood flow that can help researchers and clinicians understand age- and sex-related differences and improve future models and tests.

How similar studies have performed: PC 4D-flow MRI has been successfully used in prior research to map aortic flow in healthy volunteers and patients, so the imaging method is established though this protocol focuses on extracting boundary conditions for modelling.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

* Healthy (in particular without any cardiovascular disease or history thereof) men or women
* 18 years of age or above;
* BMI ≤ 30;
* Willingness to undergo MRI scans;
* Able to provide signed informed consent (IC)

Exclusion Criteria:

* Irregular heartbeat.;
* Any history of cardiovascular disease or current cardiovascular disease;
* The standard MRI exclusion criteria (such as pacemakers, cerebral vascular clips, pregnancy, claustrophobia)

Where this trial is running

Enschede, Overijssel

• TechMed centre, University of Twente — Enschede, Overijssel, Netherlands (RECRUITING)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Michel M.P.J. Reijnen, prof. dr. — University of Twente
• Study coordinator: Marleen E. Krommendijk, ir.

Conditions: Healthy Aortic Blood Flow, Blood flow, Aorta, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, PC 4D-flow MRI, MRI