title: Flow-gated radial phase-contrast imaging in the presence of weak flow.
abstract: To implement a flow-gating method to acquire phase-contrast (PC) images of carotid arteries without use of an electrocardiography (ECG) signal to synchronize the acquisition of imaging data with pulsatile arterial flow. The flow-gating method was realized through radial scanning and sophisticated post-processing methods including downsampling, complex difference, and correlation analysis to improve the evaluation of flow-gating times in radial phase-contrast scans. Quantitatively comparable results (R = 0.92-0.96, n = 9) of flow-related parameters, including mean velocity, mean flow rate, and flow volume, with conventional ECG-gated imaging demonstrated that the proposed method is highly feasible. The radial flow-gating PC imaging method is applicable in carotid arteries. The proposed flow-gating method can potentially avoid the setting up of ECG-related equipment for brain imaging. This technique has potential use in patients with arrhythmia or weak ECG signals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, College of Nuclear Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Hsu-Hsia
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Teng-Yi
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Fu-Nien
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hsiao-Wen
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D055424:Cardiac-Gated Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000502:physiology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D055815:Young Adult