title: Disruption of intracardiac flow patterns in the newborn infant.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Consistent patterns of rotational intracardiac flow have been demonstrated in the healthy adult human heart. Intracardiac rotational flow patterns are hypothesized to assist in the maintenance of kinetic energy of inflowing blood, augmenting cardiac function. Newborn cardiac function is known to be suboptimal secondary to decreased receptor number and sympathetic innervation, increased afterload, and increased reliance on atrial contraction to support ventricular filling. Patterns of intracardiac flow in the newborn have not previously been examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Whereas 5 of the 13 infants studied showed significant evidence of rotational flow within the right atrium, 8 infants showed little or no rotational flow. Presence or absence of rotational flow was not related to gestational age, birth weight, postnatal age, atrial size, or image quality. Despite absence of intra-atrial rotational flow, atrioventricular valve flow into the left and right ventricles later in the cardiac cycle could be seen, suggesting that visualization techniques were adequate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While further study is required to assess its exact consequences on cardiac mechanics and energetics, disruption to intracardiac flow patterns could be another contributor to the multifactorial sequence that produces newborn circulatory failure.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 13 newborn infants, using three-dimensional (3D) cardiac magnetic resonance phase-contrast imaging (spatial resolution 0.84 mm, temporal resolution 22.6 ms) performed without sedation/anesthesia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College London, London, UK. alan.groves@imperial.ac.uk
authors.forename: Alan M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Groves
authors.forename: Giuliana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Durighel
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Finnemore
authors.forename: Nora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tusor
authors.forename: Nazakat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Merchant
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Razavi
authors.forename: Jo V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Hajnal
authors.forename: A David
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Edwards
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000473:pathology*; D006352:Heart Ventricles; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007700:Kinetics; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast / Q000379:methods; D009200:Myocardial Contraction; D012307:Risk Factors