Cardiovascular 4D flow MRI allows for measurement of time-resolved, three-dimensional (time + 3D = 4D) blood flow velocity in the heart and larger vessels. This method, which was pioneered at CMIV, permits the visualization of blood flow patterns, and the assessment of volumetric blood flow anywhere in the acquired volume, without constrictions to a single location.
The velocity measurements can be used for intracardiac flow analysis, and assessment of hemodynamic parameters such as turbulent kinetic energy, wall shear stresses, pressure gradients and more. Moreover, 4D flow MRI can be combined with other techniques, for example valve tracking to quantify forward and regurgitant flow in the cardiac valves. Studying cardiovascular blood flow dynamics in patients and healthy subjects will improve our understanding of the roles of flow dynamics in health and disease, leading to improved cardiac diagnostics, novel assessments of pharmaceutical, interventional, and surgical therapies.
Some of the challenges of 4D flow MRI are the extended scanning and reconstruction times. We are actively researching different methods to expedite the scanning and reconstruction process. This involves acquiring data more rapidly on the scanner and subsequently applying reconstruction techniques. These approaches aim to enhance the quality of images available for in-depth analysis.
Magnetic resonance imaging
Our research
Magnetic resonance (MRI) is an imaging technique suitable for visualizing and analyzing the heart and cardiovascular system. Using techniques such as 4D flow MRI and Dixon, we can assess blood flow, fat, and water fractions, increasing our understanding of physiology and pathophysiology.
Visualizations
Visualization of kinetic energy in the heart and the aorta. The dataset was acquired with 4D Flow MRI.
Visualization of blood flow velocities in the heart and the aorta. The dataset was acquired with 4D Flow MRI.
