Velocity Encoded Cine Imaging of Mitral Valve Inflow: A novel method to determine cardiac rest periods in coronary magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

Purpose: Dual Phase Whole Heart Coronary Magnetic Resonance Angiography (CMRA) has become an invaluable addition in the evaluation of patients with congenital heart disease (CHD), as it defines detailed cardiac morphology and coronary anatomy. Image acquisition is usually performed during the cardiac rest periods, at end-systole and mid-diastole, in order to minimize cardiac motion and thus increase image sharpness. The rest periods are traditionally assessed visually using a high-temporal resolution balanced steady-state free precession (SSFP) 4-chamber (4CH) image, but this technique is limited by significant inter-observer variability. We propose that velocity encoded cine imaging of the mitral valve inflow (MVI) is a novel and more reproducible approach to determine …