Clinical Research Directory

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Healthy controls for baseline comparison 1. Must be 18 years or older 2. No history of cardiovascular disease, neither hypertension, diabetes nor hypercholesterolemia 2. Aneurysm patients who have not yet been operated on but are currently being monitored 1. Must be 18 years or older 2. No history of operation for aortic aneurysm 3. Pre-operative aneurysm patients: imaged pre-operatively and 12 months 1. Patients admitted at the CCF cardiothoracic services for elective surgery due to aortic aneurysms 2. Must be 18 years or older Exclusion Criteria: For all patients: * Contra-indication for MRI * Heart pacemaker/defibrillator. * Electronic/implanted stimulators or devices, including deep brain stimulator, vagus nerve stimulator, bladder stimulator, spine stimulator, neurostimulators; implanted electrodes or wires. * Cochlear implant or other ear implants. * Implanted drug pumps (insulin, narcotic/pain medications, drugs to treat spasticity). * Programmable shunt. * Aneurysm clips and coils. * Stents (not located in heart). * Filters (for example, blood clot filters). * Metal fragment in your body or eye (eg, BBs, bullets, shrapnel, metal pieces or shavings). * Congenital heart diseases such as patent ductus arteriosus, coarctation of aorta, ASD and VSD * Presence of A-V fistula or intracardiac shunts * Moderate or severe dysfunction in multiple valves * Patients with significant claustrophobia * Patients unable to pedal a supine bicycle * Those who require supplemental oxygen Specific Exclusion Criteria: 1. Healthy controls for baseline comparison 1. Excluded if using cardioprotective medication 2. Have a bicuspid aortic valve diagnosed using MRI 2. Pre-operative aneurysm patients: imaged pre-operatively and at 12 months a. Patients with traumatic aortic rupture