Meeting Banner
Abstract #1277

Inter- And Intra-Observer Variability in Whole-Body Contrast-Enhanced MRA Cardiovascular Analysis

Lynne McCormick1, Jonathan Weir-McCall2, Richard White2, Stephen J. Gandy3, Jill Belch4, John Houston2

1The Institute of Cardiovascular Research, University of Dundee, Dundee, Angus, United Kingdom; 2Clinical Radiology, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, Angus, United Kingdom; 3Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, Angus, United Kingdom; 4Division of Cardiovascular and Diabetes Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom

Contrast-enhanced whole-body MRA enables cardiovascular analysis of the entire arterial tree excluding the coronary vessels, enabling characterization of atherosclerotic disease on a systemic level. As part of on-going work in whole-body MRA analysis, this study examines reproducibility and variability in radiological stenosis quantification between two cardiovascular radiologists, and therefore the extent of observer influence on cardiovascular assessment of images in both single site and whole-body atherosclerosis scoring. Analysis was performed at 159 arterial locations for each of 20 patients, including screening and clinically symptomatic patient groups.

Abstract PDF Poster PDF

Keywords

abdominal achieved acid acquisition acquisitions administered agent agreement aims alter angiography aorta arch arterial assess atherosclerosis basis belch bias blinded body burden cardiovascular categorical categorized characterization clinical clinically coil coils comparable complete conducted contexts contrast coronal coverage despite detection diagnostic digital disease divided dividing division enables enabling encompassed enhanced enhancement entry equal estimation excluding experience female flush grades grading head healthy highly history hospital identity injection injections intensity inter intra intravenous journal kingdom legs lumen male manual manually matrix medical medicine memory mild minor moderate neck next observer observers occurred ongoing part pathologies patient patients pelvis peripheral physics placed planning post previous produce projection proximal radiological radiologists radiology reached reduce reduced reduction repeat reproducibility resolution school score scores scoring screening segments selected sensitivity severe significantly sites spine station stations statistic subcategories subgrouping subgroups substantial subtraction surface symptomatic systemic thorax triggered upon upper variability vascular vessel vessels visual visualization white whole workstation