Retrograde Flow in the Vena Cava Superior is Associated with Increased Right Atrium Pressure in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

J. Tim Marcus¹, Anton Vonk-Noordegraaf²

The aim of this study was to quantify the percentual volumetric backflow in the Vena Cava Superior by MRI flow quantification, and to assess the association beween this backflow and the systolic Right Atrium pressure in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) patients. Right Atrium pressure was obtained by right heart catheterization within 1 day delay from the MRI. This association was significant (n=29 patients, r=0.55, p=0.0018), which explains, from a hemodynamic point of view, why the Right Atrium pressure has a significant prognostic value in PAH.