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Objective:
To evaluate age-related hemodynamic changes in the portal vein (PV) using four-dimensional (4D) flow magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in healthy adults.

Materials and Methods:
A total of 120 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. Each subject was categorized into four groups: A (n = 25, 30 – 39 years), B (n = 31, 40 – 49 years), C (n = 34, 50 – 59 years), and D (n = 30, 60 – 69 years). All subjects underwent 4D flow data acquisition using a 3-T MRI system to measure the hemodynamic parameters in the main PV in addition to routine laboratory tests including liver function testing. The clinical characteristics and 4D flow parameters were compared among the groups using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) after controlling for significant covariates, accordingly. In addition, the outcome metric applying the age-related quadratic model to estimate the age at which 4D flow parameters are the highest (age-of-peak) as well as the rates of age-related 4D flow changes were estimated.

Results:
The average area, average through-plane velocity, peak velocity magnitude, average net flow, peak flow, and net forward volume in group D were significantly lower than those in groups A, B and C (except for the average net flow in group A and net forward volume in group B) (p < 0.05). Moreover, group C showed significantly lower values of the average through-plane velocity and peak velocity magnitude than those of group B (p < 0.05). The age-of-peak computed was approximately 43 – 44 years for all 4D flow parameters. The rates of age-related 4D flow changes for all 4D flow parameters were negatively correlated with age (p < 0.05).

Conclusion:
The volume and velocity of the blood flow through the PV peaked at approximately 43 – 44 years and decreased significantly after 60 years.