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| 2. |
- Bustamante, Mariana, 1983-
(author)
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Automated Assessment of Blood Flow in the Cardiovascular System Using 4D Flow MRI
- 2018
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Medical image analysis focuses on the extraction of meaningful information from medical images in order to facilitate clinical assessment, diagnostics and treatment. Image processing techniques have gradually become an essential part of the modern health care system, a consequence of the continuous technological improvements and the availability of a variety of medical imaging techniques.Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is an imaging technique that stands out as non-invasive, highly versatile, and capable of generating high quality images without the use of ionizing radiation. MRI is frequently performed in the clinical setting to assess the morphology and function of the heart and vessels. When focusing on the cardiovascular system, blood flow visualization and quantification is essential in order to fully understand and identify related pathologies. Among the variety of MR techniques available for cardiac imaging, 4D Flow MRI allows for full three-dimensional spatial coverage over time, also including three-directional velocity information. It is a very powerful technique that can be used for retrospective analysis of blood flow dynamics at any location in the acquired volume.In the clinical routine, however, flow analysis is typically done using two-dimensional imaging methods. This can be explained by their shorter acquisition times, higher in-plane spatial resolution and signal-to-noise ratio, and their relatively simpler post-processing requirements when compared to 4D Flow MRI. The extraction of useful knowledge from 4D Flow MR data is especially challenging due to the large amount of information included in these images, and typically requires substantial user interaction.This thesis aims to develop and evaluate techniques that facilitate the post-processing of thoracic 4D Flow MRI by automating the steps necessary to obtain hemodynamic parameters of interest from the data. The proposed methods require little to no user interaction, are fairly quick, make effective use of the information available in the four-dimensional images, and can easily be applied to sizable groups of data.The addition of the proposed techniques to the current pipeline of 4D Flow MRI analysis simplifies and expedites the assessment of these images, thus bringing them closer to the clinical routine.
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| 3. |
- Casas Garcia, Belén, 1985-
(author)
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Towards Personalized Models of the Cardiovascular System Using 4D Flow MRI
- 2018
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Current diagnostic tools for assessing cardiovascular disease mostly focus on measuring a given biomarker at a specific spatial location where an abnormality is suspected. However, as a result of the dynamic and complex nature of the cardiovascular system, the analysis of isolated biomarkers is generally not sufficient to characterize the pathological mechanisms behind a disease. Model-based approaches that integrate the mechanisms through which different components interact, and present possibilities for system-level analyses, give us a better picture of a patient’s overall health status.One of the main goals of cardiovascular modelling is the development of personalized models based on clinical measurements. Recent years have seen remarkable advances in medical imaging and the use of personalized models is slowly becoming a reality. Modern imaging techniques can provide an unprecedented amount of anatomical and functional information about the heart and vessels. In this context, three-dimensional, three-directional, cine phase-contrast (PC) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), commonly referred to as 4D Flow MRI, arises as a powerful tool for creating personalized models. 4D Flow MRI enables the measurement of time-resolved velocity information with volumetric coverage. Besides providing a rich dataset within a single acquisition, the technique permits retrospective analysis of the data at any location within the acquired volume.This thesis focuses on improving subject-specific assessment of cardiovascular function through model-based analysis of 4D Flow MRI data. By using computational models, we aimed to provide mechanistic explanations of the underlying physiological processes, derive novel or improved hemodynamic markers, and estimate quantities that typically require invasive measurements. Paper I presents an evaluation of current markers of stenosis severity using advanced models to simulate flow through a stenosis. Paper II presents a framework to personalize a reduced-order, mechanistic model of the cardiovascular system using exclusively non-invasive measurements, including 4D Flow MRI data. The modelling approach can unravel a number of clinically relevant parameters from the input data, including those representing the contraction and relaxation patterns of the left ventricle, and provide estimations of the pressure-volume loop. In Paper III, this framework is applied to study cardiovascular function at rest and during stress conditions, and the capability of the model to infer load-independent measures of heart function based on the imaging data is demonstrated. Paper IV focuses on evaluating the reliability of the model parameters as a step towards translation of the model to the clinic.
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| 4. |
- Dyverfeldt, Petter, 1980-, et al.
(author)
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Assessment of fluctuating velocities in disturbed cardiovascular blood flow : in vivo feasibility of generalized phase-contrast MRI
- 2008
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In: Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging. - : Wiley. - 1053-1807 .- 1522-2586. ; 28:3, s. 655-663
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- PurposeTo evaluate the feasibility of generalized phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (PC-MRI) for the noninvasive assessment of fluctuating velocities in cardiovascular blood flow.Materials and MethodsMultidimensional PC-MRI was used in a generalized manner to map mean flow velocities and intravoxel velocity standard deviation (IVSD) values in one healthy aorta and in three patients with different cardiovascular diseases. The acquired data were used to assess the kinetic energy of both the mean (MKE) and the fluctuating (TKE) velocity field.ResultsIn all of the subjects, both mean and fluctuating flow data were successfully acquired. The highest TKE values in the patients were found at sites characterized by abnormal flow conditions. No regional increase in TKE was found in the normal aorta.ConclusionPC-MRI IVSD mapping is able to detect flow abnormalities in a variety of human cardiovascular conditions and shows promise for the quantitative assessment of turbulence. This approach may assist in clarifying the role of disturbed hemodynamics in cardiovascular diseases.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- Dyverfeldt, Petter, 1980-
(author)
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Extending MRI to the Quantification of Turbulence Intensity
- 2010
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- In cardiovascular medicine, the assessment of blood flow is fundamental to the understanding and detection of disease. Many pharmaceutical, interventional, and surgical treatments impact the flow. The primary purpose of the cardiovascular system is to drive, control and maintain blood flow to all parts of the body. In the normal cardiovascular system, fluid transport is maintained at high efficiency and the blood flow is essentially laminar. Disturbed and turbulent blood flow, on the other hand, appears to be present in many cardiovascular diseases and may contribute to their initiation and progression. Despite strong indications of an important interrelationship between flow and cardiovascular disease, medical imaging has lacked a non-invasive tool for the in vivo assessment of disturbed and turbulent flow. As a result, the extent and role of turbulence in the blood flow of humans have not yet been fully investigated.Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a versatile tool for the non-invasive assessment of flow and has several important clinical and research applications, but might not yet have reached its full potential. Conventional MRI techniques for the assessment of flow are based on measurements of the mean velocity within an image voxel. The mean velocity corresponds to the first raw moment of the distribution of velocities within a voxel. An MRI framework for the quantification of any moment (mean, standard deviation, skew, etc.) of arbitrary velocity distributions is presented in this thesis.Disturbed and turbulent flows are characterized by velocity fluctuations that are superimposed on the mean velocity. The intensity of these velocity fluctuations can be quantified by their standard deviation, which is a commonly used measure of turbulence intensity. This thesis focuses on the development of a novel MRI method for the quantification of turbulence intensity. This method is mathematically derived and experimentally validated. Limitations and sources of error are investigated and guidelines for adequate application of MRI measurements of turbulence intensity are outlined. Furthermore, the method is adapted to the quantification of turbulence intensity in the pulsatile blood flow of humans and applied to a wide range of cardiovascular diseases. In these applications, elevated turbulence intensity was consistently detected in regions where highly disturbed flow was anticipated, and the effects of potential sources of errors were small.Diseased heart valves are often replaced with prosthetic heart valves, which, in spite of improved benefits and durability, continue to fall short of matching native flow patterns. In an in vitro setting, MRI was used to visualize and quantify turbulence intensity in the flow downstream from four common designs of prosthetic heart valves. Marked differences in the extent and degree of turbulence intensity were detected between the different valves.Mitral valve regurgitation is a common valve lesion associated with progressive left atrial and left ventricular remodelling, which may often require surgical correction to avoid irreversible ventricular dysfunction. The spatiotemporal dynamics of flow disturbances in mitral regurgitation were assessed based on measurements of flow patterns and turbulence intensity in a group of patients with significant regurgitation arising from similar valve lesions. Peak turbulence intensity occurred at the same time in all patients and the total turbulence intensity in the left atrium appeared closely related to the severity of regurgitation.MRI quantification of turbulence intensity has the potential to become a valuable tool in investigating the extent, timing and role of disturbed blood flow in the human cardiovascular system, as well as in the assessment of the effects of different therapeutic options in patients with vascular or valvular disorders.
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| 11. |
- Dyverfeldt, Petter, 1980-, et al.
(author)
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Quantification of intravoxel velocity standard deviation and turbulence intensity by generalizing phase-contrast MRI
- 2006
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In: Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. - : Wiley. - 0740-3194 .- 1522-2594. ; 56:4, s. 850-858
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Turbulent flow, characterized by velocity fluctuations, is a contributing factor to the pathogenesis of several cardiovascular diseases. A clinical noninvasive tool for assessing turbulence is lacking, however. It is well known that the occurrence of multiple spin velocities within a voxel during the influence of a magnetic gradient moment causes signal loss in phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (PC-MRI). In this paper a mathematical derivation of an expression for computing the standard deviation (SD) of the blood flow velocity distribution within a voxel is presented. The SD is obtained from the magnitude of PC-MRI signals acquired with different first gradient moments. By exploiting the relation between the SD and turbulence intensity (TI), this method allows for quantitative studies of turbulence. For validation, the TI in an in vitro flow phantom was quantified, and the results compared favorably with previously published laser Doppler anemometry (LDA) results. This method has the potential to become an important tool for the noninvasive assessment of turbulence in the arterial tree.
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| 15. |
- Fredriksson, Alexandru Grigorescu, et al.
(author)
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Turbulent kinetic energy in the right ventricle : Potential MR marker for risk stratification of adults with repaired Tetralogy of Fallot
- 2018
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In: Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging. - Hoboken : John Wiley & Sons. - 1053-1807 .- 1522-2586. ; 47:4, s. 1043-1053
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose: To assess right ventricular (RV) turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) in patients with repaired Tetralogy of Fallot (rToF) and a spectrum of pulmonary regurgitation (PR), as well as to investigate the relationship between these 4D flow markers and RV remodeling.Materials and Methods: Seventeen patients with rToF and 10 healthy controls were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups based on PR fraction: one lower PR fraction group (11%) and one higher PR fraction group (>11%). Field strength/sequences: 3D cine phase contrast (4D flow), 2D cine phase contrast (2D flow), and balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) at 1.5T. Assessment: The RV volume was segmented in the morphologic short-axis images and TKE parameters were computed inside the segmented RV volume throughout diastole. Statistical tests: One-way analysis of variance with Bonferroni post-hoc test; unpaired t-test; Pearson correlation coefficients; simple and stepwise multiple regression models; intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).Results: The higher PR fraction group had more remodeled RVs (140 6 25 vs. 107 6 22 [lower PR fraction, P < 0.01] and 93 6 15 ml/m2[healthy, P < 0.001] for RV end-diastolic volume index [RVEDVI]) and higher TKE values (5.95 6 3.15 vs. 2.23 6 0.81 [lower PR fraction, P < 0.01] and 1.91 6 0.78 mJ [healthy, P < 0.001] for Peak Total RV TKE). Multiple regression analysis between RVEDVI and 4D/2D flow parameters showed that Peak Total RV TKE was the strongest predictor of RVEDVI (R25 0.47, P 5 0.002).Conclusion: The 4D flow-specific TKE markers showed a slightly stronger association with RV remodeling than conventional 2D flow PR parameters. These results suggest novel hemodynamic aspects of PR in the development of late complications after ToF repair.
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| 16. |
- Good, Elin, 1983-
(author)
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Interrogating Atherosclerotic Plaque Biology Through Responses to Cardiovascular Risk Management and Imaging
- 2023
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Atherosclerosis causes more deaths than any other disease worldwide, and the cause of death is most commonly a rupture of a vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque, resulting in a thrombotic event in the heart or brain. The major risk factors for plaque progression are well known, but all the mechanisms that drive atherosclerotic plaques towards catastrophic events are not yet fully elucidated. This thesis revolves around the atherosclerotic plaque; how plaques can be analysed using cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging and the study of biological responses to cardiovascular risk management. In Study I we interrogated the quality of cardiovascular risk management in patients diagnosed with high-grade carotid stenosis and found that cardiovascular risk management was deficient in all aspects, despite the very high risk for events in these patients. Thus, we designed the next two studies to address the unmet clinical need for improved cardiovascular risk management in patients with carotid atherosclerosis while at the same time asking mechanistic questions about the effect of this approach on lymphocyte phenotypes (Study II) and on plaque composition (Study III). In Study II, the effect of cardiovascular risk management on Natural Killer cell, Natural Killer T cell and T lymphocyte subpopulations were studied in patients with carotid atherosclerosis. Our results show a polarisation away from a senescent phenotype towards more naïve i.e., juvenile cell types suggesting a transition towards a possibly less pro-inflammatory lymphocyte profile. In Study III, we applied a newly developed quantitative Dixon MRI technique to the quantification of lipid rich necrotic core and hemorrhage inside atherosclerotic plaques. Employing this technique, we explored the relationships between these high-risk plaque compositional features and circulating lipoproteins as they changed over time in response to cardiovascular risk management. In the current study there was no evidence for such a linear relationship. To further study the associations between inflammation and quantitative plaque measurements we explored in Study IV the relationship between inflammation in atherosclerotic plaques as measured by 18F-FDG uptake and features of high-risk plaque as measured by quantitative Dixon MRI. To facilitate the use of carotid MRI in larger cohorts we developed in Study V a technique for the segmentation of the carotid artery using supervised machine learning. Taken together these studies describe the importance of cardiovascular risk management, the complexity of atherosclerotic plaque biology and they propose new strategies for quantitative plaque imaging.
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| 17. |
- Ha, Hojin, et al.
(author)
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In-vitro and In-Vivo Assessment of 4D Flow MRI Reynolds Stress Mapping for Pulsatile Blood Flow
- 2021
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In: Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 2296-4185. ; 9
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Imaging hemodynamics play an important role in the diagnosis of abnormal blood flow due to vascular and valvular diseases as well as in monitoring the recovery of normal blood flow after surgical or interventional treatment. Recently, characterization of turbulent blood flow using 4D flow magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been demonstrated by utilizing the changes in signal magnitude depending on intravoxel spin distribution. The imaging sequence was extended with a six-directional icosahedral (ICOSA6) flow-encoding to characterize all elements of the Reynolds stress tensor (RST) in turbulent blood flow. In the present study, we aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of full RST analysis using ICOSA6 4D flow MRI under physiological conditions. First, the turbulence analysis was performed through in vitro experiments with a physiological pulsatile flow condition. Second, a total of 12 normal subjects and one patient with severe aortic stenosis were analyzed using the same sequence. The in-vitro study showed that total turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) was less affected by the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), however, maximum principal turbulence shear stress (MPTSS) and total turbulence production (TP) had a noise-induced bias. Smaller degree of the bias was observed for TP compared to MPTSS. In-vivo study showed that the subject-variability on turbulence quantification was relatively low for the consistent scan protocol. The in vivo demonstration of the stenosis patient showed that the turbulence analysis could clearly distinguish the difference in all turbulence parameters as they were at least an order of magnitude larger than those from the normal subjects.
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| 18. |
- Sundin, Jonathan, et al.
(author)
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Turbulent Intensity of Blood Flow in the Healthy Aorta Increases With Dobutamine Stress and is Related to Cardiac Output
- 2022
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In: Frontiers in Physiology. - : FRONTIERS MEDIA SA. - 1664-042X. ; 13
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Introduction: The blood flow in the normal cardiovascular system is predominately laminar but operates close to the threshold to turbulence. Morphological distortions such as vascular and valvular stenosis can cause transition into turbulent blood flow, which in turn may cause damage to tissues in the cardiovascular system. A growing number of studies have used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to estimate the extent and degree of turbulent flow in different cardiovascular diseases. However, the way in which heart rate and inotropy affect turbulent flow has not been investigated. In this study we hypothesized that dobutamine stress would result in higher turbulence intensity in the healthy thoracic aorta.Method: 4D flow MRI data were acquired in twelve healthy subjects at rest and with dobutamine, which was infused until the heart rate increased by 60% when compared to rest. A semi-automatic segmentation method was used to segment the thoracic aorta in the 4D flow MR images. Subsequently, flow velocity and several turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) parameters were calculated in the ascending aorta, aortic arch, descending aorta and whole thoracic aorta.Results: With dobutamine infusion there was an increase in heart rate (66 +/- 9 vs. 108 +/- 13 bpm, p < 0.001) and stroke volume (88 +/- 13 vs. 102 +/- 25 ml, p < 0.01). Additionally, there was an increase in Peak Average velocity (0.7 +/- 0.1 vs. 1.2 +/- 0.2 m/s, p < 0.001, Peak Max velocity (1.3 +/- 0.1 vs. 2.0 +/- 0.2 m/s, p < 0.001), Peak Total TKE (2.9 +/- 0.7 vs. 8.0 +/- 2.2 mJ, p < 0.001), Peak Median TKE (36 +/- 7 vs. 93 +/- 24 J/m3, p = 0.002) and Peak Max TKE (176 +/- 33 vs. 334 +/- 69 J/m3, p < 0.001). The relation between cardiac output and Peak Total TKE in the whole thoracic aorta was very strong (R-2 = 0.90, p < 0.001).Conclusion: TKE of blood flow in the healthy thoracic aorta increases with dobutamine stress and is strongly related to cardiac output. Quantification of such turbulence intensity parameters with cardiac stress may serve as a risk assessment of aortic disease development.
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| 19. |
- Viola, Federica, et al.
(author)
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Data Quality and Optimal Background Correction Order of Respiratory-Gated k-Space Segmented Spoiled Gradient Echo (SGRE) and Echo Planar Imaging (EPI)-Based 4D Flow MRI
- 2020
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In: Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging. - : WILEY. - 1053-1807 .- 1522-2586. ; 51:3, s. 885-896
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background A reduction in scan time of 4D Flow MRI would facilitate clinical application. A recent study indicates that echo-planar imaging (EPI) 4D Flow MRI allows for a reduction in scan time and better data quality than the recommended k-space segmented spoiled gradient echo (SGRE) sequence. It was argued that the poor data quality of SGRE was related to the nonrecommended absence of respiratory motion compensation. However, data quality can also be affected by the background offset compensation. Purpose To compare the data quality of respiratory motion-compensated SGRE and EPI 4D Flow MRI and their dependence on background correction (BC) order. Study Type Retrospective. Subjects Eighteen healthy subjects (eight female, mean age 32 +/- 5 years). Field Strength and Sequence 5T. SGRE and EPI-based 4D Flow MRI. Assessment Data quality was investigated visually and by comparing flows through the cardiac valves and aorta. Measurements were obtained from transvalvular flow and pathline analysis. Statistical Tests Linear regression and Bland-Altman analysis were used. Wilcoxon test was used for comparison of visual scoring. Students t-test was used for comparison of flow volumes. Results No significant difference was found by visual inspection (P = 0.08). Left ventricular (LV) flows were strongly and very strongly associated with SGRE and EPI, respectively (R-2 = 0.86-0.94 SGRE; 0.71-0.79 EPI, BC0-4). LV and right ventricular (RV) outflows and LV pathline flows were very strongly associated (R-2 = 0.93-0.95 SGRE; 0.88-0.91 EPI, R-2 = 0.91-0.95 SGRE; 0.91-0.93 EPI, BC1-4). EPI LV outflow was lower than the short-axis-based stroke volume. EPI RV outflow and proximal descending aortic flow were lower than SGREs. Data Conclusion Both sequences yielded good internal data consistency when an adequate background correction was applied. Second and first BC order were considered sufficient for transvalvular flow analysis in SGRE and EPI, respectively. Higher BC orders were preferred for particle tracing. Technical Efficacy Stage 1 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019.
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| 20. |
- Zajac, Jakub
(author)
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Assessment of Ventricular Function in Normal and Failing Hearts Using 4D Flow CMR
- 2017
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Heart failure is a common disorder and a major cause of illness and death in the population, creating an enormous health-care burden. It is a complex condition, representing the end-point of many cardiovascular diseases. In general heart failure progresses slowly over time and once it is diagnosed it has a poor prognosis which is comparable with that of many types of cancer.The heart has an ability to adapt in response to long lasting increases in hemodynamic demand; the heart conforms its shape and size in order to maintain adequate cardiac output. This process is called remodeling and can be triggered by pathologies such as hypertension or valvular disease. When the myocardial remodeling is maintained chronically it becomes maladaptive and is associated with an increased risk of heart failure.In many cases, heart failure is associated with left bundle branch block (LBBB). This electrical disturbance leads to dyssynchronous left ventricular (LV) contraction and relaxation which may contribute to cardiac dysfunction and ultimately heart failure. Mechanical dyssynchrony can be treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). However, many heart failure patients do not demonstrate clinical improvement despite CRT.Blood flow plays an important role in the normal development of the fetal heart. However, flow-induced forces may also induce changes in the heart cells that could lead to pathological remodeling in the adult heart. Until recently, measurement tools have been inadequate in describing the complex three-dimensional and time-varying characteristics of blood flow within the beating heart.4D (3D + time) flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) enables acquisition of three-dimensional, three-directional, time-resolved velocity data from which visualization and quantification of the blood flow patterns over a complete cardiac cycle can be performed. In this thesis, novel 4D Flow CMR based methods are used to study the intraventricular blood flow in healthy subjects and heart failure patients with and without ventricular dyssynchrony in order to gain new knowledge of the ventricular function.Different flow components were assessed in normal heart ventricles. It was found that inflowing blood that passes directly to outflow during the same heartbeat (the Direct Flow component) was larger and possessed more kinetic energy (KE) than other flow components. Diastolic flow through the normal heart appears to create favorable conditions for effective systolic ejection. This organized blood flow pattern within the normal LV is altered in heart failure patients and is associated with decreased preservation of KE which might be unfavorable for efficient LV ejection. Inefficient flow of blood through the heart may influence diastolic wall stress, and thus contribute to pathological myocardial remodeling.In dyssynchronous LVs of heart failure patients with LBBB, Direct Flow showed even more reduced preservation of KE compared to similarly remodeled LVs without LBBB. Furthermore, in LBBB patients, LV filling hemodynamic forces, acting on the myocardium, were more orthogonal to the main flow direction compared to patients without LBBB. Deviation of LV flow forces and reduction of KE preservation and may reflect impairment of LV diastolic function and less efficient ensuing ejection related to dyssynchrony in these failing ventricles.Blood flow patterns were also studied with respect to fluctuations of the velocity of the flow (turbulent flow) in normal and failing LVs. In failing hearts, turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) was higher during diastole than in healthy subjects. TKE is a cause of energy loss and can thus be seen as a measure of flow inefficiency.Elucidating the transit of multidimensional blood flow through the heart chambers is fundamental in understanding the physiology of the heart and to detect abnormalities in cardiac function. The 4D Flow CMR parameters presented in this thesis can be utilized to detect altered intracardiac blood flow and may be used as markers of deteriorating cardiac function, pathological remodeling and mechanical dyssynchrony in heart failure.
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| 21. |
- Ziegler, Magnus, 1990-
(author)
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Improving Assessments of Hemodynamics and Vascular Disease
- 2019
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Blood vessels are more than simple pipes, passively enabling blood to pass through them. Their form and function are dynamic, changing with both aging and disease. This process involves a feedback loop wherein changes to the shape of a blood vessel affect the hemodynamics, causing yet more structural adaptation. This feedback loop is driven in part by the hemodynamic forces generated by the blood flow, and the distribution and strength of these forces appear to play a role in the initiation, progression, severity, and the outcome of vascular diseases.Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) offers a unique platform for investigating both the form and function of the vascular system. The form of the vascular system can be examined using MR-based angiography, to generate detailed geometric analyses, or through quantitative techniques for measuring the composition of the vessel wall and atherosclerotic plaques. To complement these analyses, 4D Flow MRI can be used to quantify the functional aspect of the vascular system, by generating a full time-resolved three-dimensional velocity field that represents the blood flow.This thesis aims to develop and evaluate new methods for assessing vascular disease using novel hemodynamic markers generated from 4D Flow MRI and quantitative MRI data towards the larger goal of a more comprehensive non-invasive examination oriented towards vascular disease. In Paper I, we developed and evaluated techniques to quantify flow stasis in abdominal aortic aneurysms to measure this under-explored aspect of aneurysmal hemodynamics. In Paper II, the distribution and intensity of turbulence in the aorta was quantified in both younger and older men to understand how aging changes this aspect of hemodynamics. A method to quantify the stresses generated by turbulence that act on the vessel wall was developed and evaluated using simulated flow data in Paper III, and in Paper V this method was utilized to examine the wall stresses of the carotid artery. The hemodynamics of vascular disease cannot be uncoupled from the anatomical changes the vessel wall undergoes, and therefore Paper IV developed and evaluated a semi-automatic method for quantifying several aspects of vessel wall composition. These developments, taken together, help generate more valuable information from imaging data, and can be pooled together with other methods to form a more comprehensive non-invasive examination for vascular disease.
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