New cardiac MR technique cuts scan time by more than half
Researchers recently developed new MRI technology that significantly reduces the amount of time required to complete cardiac MR exams.
Using a new 4D flow cardiac MRI scan, experts were able to complete cardiac examinations in just eight minutes [1]. In comparison, standard CMR exams typically take around 20 minutes.
This was achieved by using k-adaptive-t autocalibrating reconstruction for Cartesian sampling (kat-ARC)—a reconstruction technique for 4D flow CMR using conservation of mass principle applied to transvalvular flow. The technique speeds up the acquisition process while also measuring peak velocity of the blood flow of the heart with great precision, according to a recent analysis that compared the results of kat-ARC 4D flow imaging to that of Doppler echocardiography.
Researchers used the agreement between mitral net flow (MNF) and aortic net flow (ANF) to validate the technique’s accuracy and confirmed an association between the two measures. Peak aortic valve velocity by Doppler and 4D flow were also found to be comparable.
“This new technology is revolutionizing how patients with heart disease are diagnosed,” corresponding author Hosamadin Assadi, a PhD candidate at the University of East Anglia’s Norwich Medical School said in a statement, stated about the technique. “We have also shown how this non-invasive imaging technique can measure the peak velocity of blood flow in the heart accurately and precisely.”
More information about the research can be found in European Radiology Experimental.
In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She began covering the medical imaging industry for Innovate Healthcare in 2021.