Abstract
Purpose: To evaluate three-dimensional (3D), free-breathing, steady-state free precession (SSFP) magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) for volumetric assessment of ventricular function. Materials and Methods: In 18 subjects (mean age = 21.5 years) 3D datasets of the heart and great vessels were acquired using an ECG-triggered, free-breathing SSFP technique with a T2-preparation prepulse. Data were acquired during end-systole (ES) and end-diastole (ED) for assessment of stroke volumes (SVs). Through-plane flow measurements of the great arteries were performed as well as 2D-cine SSFP imaging for comparison. For image analysis of the 3D SSFP datasets a simplex mesh model was used. Papillary muscles were excluded from ventricular volumes using thresholds. Intra- and interobserver variability (Bland-Altman analysis) and correlations (Pearson's coefficient) between volumetric and flow measurements were assessed. Results: ES and ED datasets were acquired successfully in all subjects. The best correlation was observed between flow vs. 3D SSFP SV for the LV (r = 0.85, mean difference = -1.0 mL) and the RV (r = 0.89, mean difference = -2.2 mL) with high intra- (LV: r = 0.93; RV: r = 0.94) and interobserver (LV: r = 0.91; RV: r = 0.93) reproducibility. Conclusion: 3D SSFP datasets combined with semiautomatic segmentation algorithms allow highly accurate and reproducible assessment of left (LV) and right ventricular (RV) SVs in free-breathing subjects.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 288-295 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging |
Volume | 26 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Aug 2007 |
Keywords
- Magnetic resonance (MR) cardiac imaging
- Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA)
- Semiautomatic segmentation
- Steady-state free precession (SSFP)
- Ventricular function
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging