Non-contrast MR angiography at 1.5 Tesla for aortic monitoring in Marfan patients after aortic root surgery

Table 1 Results of the qualitative measurements

Qualitative Reading and Technique	Reader 1		Reader 2		ICC
Overall aortic image quality
2D bSSFP	n	%	n	%	0.63 [0.45–0.76]
Score 1 – Poor	0	0.0	0	0.0
Score 2 – Reduced	2	3.1	3	4.7
Score 3 – Good	11	17.2	20	31.3
Score 4 – Excellent	51	79.7	41	64.1
Median score	4		4
3D CE-CMRA	N	%	n	%	0.56 [0.37–0.71]
Score 1 – Poor	0	0.0	0	0.0
Score 2 – Reduced	1	1.6	1	1.6
Score 3 – Good	10	15.6	16	25.0
Score 4 – Excellent	53	82.8	47	73.4
Median score	4		4
P (Wilcoxon)	0.37		0.16
Artifact scoring at the aortic root
2D bSSFP	n	%	n	%	0.81 [0.62–0.90]
Score 1 - Severe	2	3.1	2	3.1
Score 2 - Moderate	4	6.3	6	9.4
Score 3 - Minor	9	14.1	20	31.3
Score 4 - Absent	49	76.6	36	56.3
Median score	4		4
3D CE-CMRA	n	%	n	%
Score 1 - Severe	0	0.0	0	0.0	0.65 [0.46–0.78]
Score 2 - Moderate	0	0.0	7	10.9
Score 3 - Minor	14	21.9	11	17.2
Score 4 - Absent	50	78.1	46	71.9
Median score	4		4
P (Wilcoxon)	0.18		0.12

Categorial rating of non-contrast 2D–balanced steady state free precession (bSSFP) imaging and 3D contrast-enhanced cardiovascular magnetic resonance angiography (CE-CMRA) regarding diagnostic image quality and image artifacts was performed using Likert scales. The scoring data of the two readers are given as absolute frequencies and percentages. Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to intraindividually compare the two sequence techniques. P < .05 indicated significant differences. The Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) was used to assess the interrater agreement. Its 95% confidence interval is given in square brackets

ISSN: 1532-429X