Measuring pulse-wave velocity in the healthy human brain using dynamic inflow magnitude contrast (DIMAC) MRI

Motivation: Arterial stiffness, a key marker of cardiovascular health, can be monitored by measuring pulse-wave velocity. However, current methods do not extend into the brain due to an inability to resolve the pulse waveform on a beat-to-beat basis for intracranial arteries. Goal(s): Our goal is to demonstrate the concept of measuring intracranial pulse-wave velocity using dynamic inflow magnitude contrast (DIMAC) MRI. Approach: We measured intracranial pulse-wave velocity by measuring the pulse-wave delay between internal carotid and middle cerebral arteries. Results: The arterial pulse-wave delay between the internal carotid artery and the middle cerebral artery was 29±14ms, corresponding to a pulse-wave velocity of 6.8±2.2m/s. Impact: These results are the first stage in establishing pulse-wave velocity as a new non-invasive MRI biomarker for cerebrovascular health, providing a novel tool to investigate the role of arterial stiffness in healthy ageing and brain pathology.