Cardiovascular imaging - echocardiography and cardiac MRI Cardiac MRI Cardiac MRI was performed using a 1.5-Tesla scanner (Magnetom Avanto, Syngo MR; Siemens Medical Solutions, Erlangen, Germany). Aortic diameters were measured at four landmark levels: level 1, the ascending aorta at the level of bifurcation of the pulmonary artery; level 2, the upper descending thoracic aorta at the level of bifurcation of the pulmonary artery; level 3, the lower descending thoracic aorta at the level of the diaphragm; level 4, the abdominal aorta just above the iliac bifurcation. Cine imaging was also performed at the same levels to measure aortic stiffness.