title: Improved Semiautomated 4D Flow MRI Analysis in the Aorta in Patients With Congenital Aortic Valve Anomalies Versus Tricuspid Aortic Valves.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to systematically investigate a newly developed semiautomated workflow for the analysis of aortic 4-dimensional flow MRI and its ability to detect hemodynamic differences in patients with congenitally altered aortic valve (bicuspid or quadricuspid valves) compared with tricuspid aortic valves.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four-dimensional flow MRI data were acquired in 20 patients with aortic dilatation (9 tricuspid aortic valves, 11 congenitally altered aortic valves). A semiautomated workflow was evaluated regarding interobserver variability, accuracy of net flow, regurgitant fraction and peak systolic velocity, and the ability to detect differences between cohorts. Results were compared with manual segmentation of vessel contours.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Despite the significantly reduced analysis time, a good interobserver agreement was found for net flow and peak systolic velocity, and a moderate agreement was found for regurgitation. Significant differences in peak velocities in the descending aorta (P = 0.014) could be detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Four-dimensional flow MRI-based semiautomated analysis of aortic hemodynamics can be performed with good reproducibility and accuracy.
authors.affiliation: From the*Department of Radiology, Northwestern University; †Division of Cardiac Surgery, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago; and ‡Northwestern University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schnell
authors.forename: Pegah
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Entezari
authors.forename: Riti J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Mahadewia
authors.forename: S Chris
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Malaisrie
authors.forename: Patrick M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.forename: Jeremy D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Markl
mesh_terms: D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000473:pathology*; D000082882:Bicuspid Aortic Valve Disease; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000473:pathology; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014261:Tricuspid Valve / Q000473:pathology*