Fig. 1

Flow field visualization. Top: visualization of the velocity field as a series of sagittal images showing flow streamlines at four successive systolic time frames (from a to d, 27 ms time step) of a representative Marfan patient with dilation of the proximal descending aorta (DAo). Streamline visualization was obtained with CVI42, Circle Cardiovascular Imaging Inc., Calgary, Canada. Bottom: through-plane (red, backward with |velocity| > 10 cm/s; blue, forward with |velocity| > 10 cm/s) and in-plane (red, higher velocity, same velocity scale as top boxes.) velocity components of a proximal DAo section of the same patient. B = back, F = front, I = inner, IRV = in-plane rotational flow, O = outer,SFRR = systolic flow reversal ratio