Date of Award

2012

Degree Type

Thesis

Department

Chemical and Biomedical Engineering

First Advisor

Halliburton, Sandra

Subject Headings

Heart -- Magnetic resonance imaging, Blood flow -- Magnetic resonance imaging, Photography -- Digital techniques, 7D cardiac flow MRI - techniques & automation of reconstruction

Abstract

Advances in magnetic resonance imaging to quantify the blood flow in the heart and major vessels stemming from the heart has recently allowed for advanced clinical applications for patients suffering from cardiac valve problems and aortic abnormalities. 7D cardiac flow quantification is relatively new, but has already shown potential in several clinical applications, including bicuspid valve and aortic coarctation characterization. In addition radiologists diagnosing valvular regurgitation may benefit from insight provided by the 7D cardiac flow quantification protocol. 7D cardiac flow quantification using magnetic resonance imaging will provide direction flow quantification in the anterior / posterior, head / foot, and left / right directions, in time, through the imaging volume. Providing MRI techniques that may lead to clinical applications to characterize the cardiac valves, the flow differentials during cardiac function, and the flow and pressure differentials of the aortic arch, as well as automation of the delayed reconstruction process for raw data, are the main focus of this study.The study was approached in four stages. First, using the Philips ExamCard environment, a scan protocol was developed. The scan protocol provided the anatomical views for the 7D flow quantification in the heart. Execution of the ExamCard provides two anatomical areas of focus, the aortic arch and the valve plane of the heart. Raw data was saved to the scanner's database, for later reconstruction.A second stage of the project was completed to verify the ExamCard and manual reconstruction had been properly developed. To do so, four volunteer studies were completed. Each volunteer was scanned on the same Philips 1.5T Achieva scanner, using the 7D flow ExamCard developed in stage one, and raw data reconstructed using the manual delayed reconstruction procedure. Flow quantification in a 3D volume in 3 directions over time was verified. Results were verified using existing studies as a gold standard.Because manual delayed reconstruc

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