Estimation of left ventricular performance through temporal pressure variations measured by MR velocity and acceleration mappings.
OBJECTIVE
To describe a method for assessing pressure variation vs. time (dp/dt) using blood flow acceleration measured by MRI, and to demonstrate its applicability in estimating left ventricular (LV) function.


METHODS
The method was tested in vitro using a pulsatile phantom, and a strong correlation was found between transducer and MRI determinations of dp/dt (r = 0.98). Selected aortic flow parameters were then measured in 10 patients and the results were compared with transducer measurements of the LV dp/dt.


RESULTS
The correlation coefficients for the reference estimations of global myocardial function and MRI were 0.59 for aortic velocity, 0.74 for aortic acceleration, and 0.86 for aortic dp/dt.


CONCLUSIONS
MR measurements of velocity and acceleration within the ascending aorta offer a noninvasive method for determining indices, such as the aortic dp/dt, that are closely correlated with the global myocardial contractility function.
UMR 8081 C.N.R.S., Université Paris-Sud, C.I.E.R.M., Hôpital Bicêtre, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France. jean-pierre.tasu@bct.ap-hop-paris.fr
Jean-Pierre
JP
Tasu
Elie
E
Mousseaux
Patrice
P
Colin
Michel S
MS
Slama
Odile
O
Jolivet
Jacques
J
Bittoun
D000328:Adult; D001011:Aorta / Q000502:physiology; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D013997:Time Factors; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology