title: Visualization of flow structures in Fontan patients using 3-dimensional phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our objective was to analyze 3-dimensional (3D) blood flow patterns within the total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) using in vivo phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging (PC MRI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen single-ventricle patients were prospectively recruited at 2 leading pediatric institutions for PC MRI evaluation of their Fontan pathway. Patients were divided into 2 groups. Group 1 comprised 8 patients with an extracardiac (EC) TCPC, and group 2 comprised 8 patients with a lateral tunnel (LT) TCPC. A coronal stack of 5 to 10 contiguous PC MRI slices with 3D velocity encoding (5-9 ms resolution) was acquired and a volumetric flow field was reconstructed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis revealed large vortices in LT TCPCs and helical flow structures in EC TCPCs. On average, there was no difference between LT and EC TCPCs in the proportion of inferior vena cava flow going to the left pulmonary artery (43% ± 7% vs 46% ± 5%; P = .34). However, for EC TCPCs, the presence of a caval offset was a primary determinant of inferior vena caval flow distribution to the pulmonary arteries with a significant bias to the offset side.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  3D flow structures within LT and EC TCPCs were reconstructed and analyzed for the first time using PC MRI. TCPC flow patterns were shown to be different, not only on the basis of LT or EC considerations, but with significant influence from the superior vena cava connection as well. This work adds to the ongoing body of research demonstrating the impact of TCPC geometry on the overall hemodynamic profile.
authors.affiliation: Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Kartik S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Sundareswaran
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Haggerty
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: de Zélicourt
authors.forename: Lakshmi P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Dasi
authors.forename: Kerem
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pekkan
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Frakes
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.forename: Kirk R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Kanter
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Fogel
authors.forename: Ajit P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Yoganathan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D018729:Fontan Procedure; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery
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