MRI Measurements of Wall Shear Stress in the Infrarenal Aorta in the Young and Old

INTRODUCTION Studies have shown that low peak wall shear stress (WSS) contributes to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques [1]. Additionally, Lee et al. demonstrated that low peak WSS correlates with high atherosclerotic indices [2]. However, the magnitude of WSS in older subjects, who have a greater incidence of atherosclerosis, requires further investigation. The purpose of this study was to compare the magnitude of peak longitudinal WSS in the infrarenal abdominal aorta in subjects younger than 40 years of age and in subjects older than 60 years of age.