Abstract
Methods Twelve volunteers underwent breath-hold through-plane phase contrast (PC) imaging of cross sectional view of the ascending aorta and PA. PC imaging was immediately repeated on a static fluid-filled phantom. Phase images were analyzed using QFlow (Medis, Leiden, Netherlands.). Phase shift was also analyzed in static background and in surrounding tissues including chest wall fat and muscle, lung and vertebral body. For PA flow Images only lung and static background were consistently present. Since background phase shift is linearly decreased from anterior to posterior, we calculated background phase shift at the aortic position using linear regression against distance of the aorta from anterior chest wall. Given the proximity of the aortic and PA in z direction the calculated aortic background phase was applied to the PA as well.
Highlights
Background phase shift due to magnetic field inhomogeneity can cause significant error in aortic and pulmonary artery (PA) flow measurements
We investigated background phase corrections for accurate aortic and pulmonary artery (PA) flow assessment alternative to additional static fluid phantom calibration
The aortic phase change comparing phase corrected by bone, muscle, fat, lung and static background to phase corrected by phantom were 10.8 ±13.3%, -1.5±9.6%, -6.3±11.8%, 15.5±28.8 and -17.6 ±20.6%, respectively
Summary
Twelve volunteers underwent breath-hold through-plane phase contrast (PC) imaging of cross sectional view of the ascending aorta and PA. PC imaging was immediately repeated on a static fluid-filled phantom. Phase images were analyzed using QFlow (Medis, Leiden, Netherlands.). Phase shift was analyzed in static background and in surrounding tissues including chest wall fat and muscle, lung and vertebral body. For PA flow Images only lung and static background were consistently present. Since background phase shift is linearly decreased from anterior to posterior, we calculated background phase shift at the aortic position using linear regression against distance of the aorta from anterior chest wall. Given the proximity of the aortic and PA in z direction the calculated aortic background phase was applied to the PA as well
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
