Inflow effect in first-pass cardiac and renal MRI.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the effect of the inflow effect on the arterial input function in vivo in cardiac and renal MR perfusion imaging using fast gradient echo (GRE) sequences and contrast media.


METHODS
The MR exam protocol was designed to acquire images at different phases of the cardiac cycle. The arterial input was thus influenced by various blood flow velocities.


RESULTS
It was found that the inflow effect was negligible in the left ventricle of the heart, while it was significantly higher in the aorta for the kidney perfusion measurement. This was principally due to the higher through-the-plane component of the blood flow velocity in the aorta than in the left ventricle.


CONCLUSIONS
The inflow effect can be neglected in the heart cavity, but should be taken into account in renal perfusion.
Ivancevic
Marko K
MK
Radiology Department, Geneva University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland. ivancevic@dim.hcuge.ch
Zimine
Ivan
I
Foxall
David
D
Lecoq
Guillaume
G
Righetti
Alberto
A
Didier
Dominique
D
Vallée
Jean-Paul
JP
D001011:Aorta / Q000502:physiology; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D001330:Electronic Data Processing; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012079:Renal Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D016276:Ventricular Function