Assessing Vascular Changes Associated with Healthy Aging using 7T Magnetic Resonance Angiography

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 age induced changes in cerebral small vessels.