PURPOSE: To assess the reproducibility of aortic volume estimates and to 
serially test their use in patients with Marfan syndrome.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was approved by the medical ethics committee 
and all subjects gave written informed consent. In 81 patients with Marfan 
syndrome and seven healthy control subjects, aortic volumes and diameters at 
baseline were estimated by means of contrast material-enhanced magnetic 
resonance (MR) imaging. At 3 years of follow-up, aortic expansion rate were 
calculated in a subgroup of 22 patients with Marfan syndrome. Total aortic 
volume was defined as volume measurement from the level of the aortic annulus to 
the aortic bifurcation. Intra- and interobserver agreement of aortic volume were 
calculated by using the intraclass correlation coefficient. Differences in 
variables were analyzed with the Student t test and logistic regression. Effect 
size was calculated.
RESULTS: Intra- and interobserver agreement of aortic volume calculation was 
0.996 and 0.980, respectively. Mean aortic volume was significantly greater in 
patients with Marfan syndrome than in control subjects (104 mL/m(2); 95% 
confidence interval [CI]: 95, 114 mL/m(2) vs 74 mL/m(2); 95% CI: 62, 87 mL/m(2); 
P < .001). In 22 patients with Marfan syndrome, mean aortic volume was increased 
at 3 years of follow-up (17 mL; 95% CI: 8, 26 mL; P = .001; effect size, 0.29), 
while mean aortic diameter did not increase significantly (0.4 mm; 95% CI: 0.0, 
0.9 mm; P = .171; effect size, 0.13).
CONCLUSION: Assessment of aortic volume is highly reproducible and may be suited 
for use in the detection of aortic expansion in patients with Marfan syndrome.
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL: 
http://radiology.rsna.org/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1148/radiol.13122310/-/DC1.