title: Accelerated analysis of three-dimensional blood flow of the thoracic aorta in stroke patients.
abstract: To test if new software accelerates analysis of in vivo acquired 4D flow MRI data. Respiration-gated and ECG-synchronized 4D flow MRI of the aorta was performed in 20 stroke patients using a routine 3-Tesla MRI system (TIMTRIO, Siemens, Germany). 3D blood flow data was processed by one experienced observer using new (A = MEVISFlow) and widely-used software (B = EnSight + Velomap-/FlowTool). Evaluation included: inter-/intra-observer variability of software A and inter-software comparison regarding (1) blood flow quantification (total-/peak flow) and (2) flow visualisation, plus (3) measurement of the time required for visualization and quantification of data (software A&B). (1) Inter-/intra-observer agreement of software A (mean difference ≤5.2 and ≤0.9 %, respectively) and inter-software agreement (mean difference ≤ 2.2 %) was high with high correlation of peak and total blood flow (r ≥ 0.74; p < 0.001 and r ≥ 0.91; p < 0.001). (2) Comparison of blood flow visualization showed substantial agreement (κ ≥ 0.68). (3) Data-analysis was three times faster when using software A [18:10 (±1:29) vs. 58:30 (±5:28) min; p < 0.0001]. Acceleration of blood flow quantification and visualisation using new software strongly facilitates future applications of 4D flow MRI and thus enables its usage in larger patient cohorts in clinical research and routine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Freiburg, Breisacher Straße 64, 79106, Freiburg, Germany, thomas.wehrum@uniklinik-freiburg.de.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wehrum
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kams
authors.forename: Laure
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schroeder
authors.forename: Johann
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Drexl
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hennemuth
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Harloff
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016477:Artifacts; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D055424:Cardiac-Gated Imaging Techniques; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012984:Software; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013996:Time and Motion Studies