[Study of the three-dimensional structure of the ventricular myocardial fiber in human heart].
OBJECTIVE
To study the three-dimensional structure of ventricular myocardial fiber in human heart.


METHODS
Eight human heart were obtained from male donors aged 81.9-/+7.2 years with a heart weight of 455.6-/+65.7 g. Each sample was immersed in water and scanned by diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI) using a 3 Tesla Exicte HD by an eight-channel head coils. The duration was 18.6-/+5.2 h from heart arresting to the scanning. The data were obtained using the protocol of single shot echo planar imaging (sshEPI) and sensitivity encoding (SENSE). The SENSE-sshEPI-scans (TE/TRZ86.4/2000 ms) of the whole heart were carried out (b=1000 s/mm(2), voxels 128x128, resolution 1.1 mmx1.1 mmx(3) mm, and FOV 14 cmx14 cm). Fiber tracking and reconstruction were performed using GE Advantage Windows Workstation. The three-dimensional structure of the ventricular myocardial fiber was observed.


RESULTS
The left ventricular myocardial fibers showed two layers with different directions of alignment in such regions as the anterior, septum, and posterior walls and the free left ventricular wall. The subendocardial layer ran obliquely from the base to the apex, and the middle layer ran obliquely upward from the base to the apex. The two layers were linked together and aligned in the pattern of helical coils near the apex.


CONCLUSIONS
The three-dimensional structure of the myocardial fibers in human heart conforms to Torrent's hypothesis of helical ventricular myocardial band (HVMB).
Ye
Wei-hua
WH
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, General Hospital of PLA, Institute of Cardiac Surgery of PLA, Beijing 100853, China. yeweihua71@sina.com
Gao
Chang-qing
CQ
Lü
Kun
K
Li
Li-bing
LB
Yan
Jun-lan
JL
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000166:cytology*