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Accelerated analysis of three-dimensional blood flow of the thoracic aorta in stroke patients

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Abstract

To test if new software accelerates analysis of in vivo acquired 4D flow MRI data. Respiration-gated and ECG-synchronized 4D flow MRI of the aorta was performed in 20 stroke patients using a routine 3-Tesla MRI system (TIMTRIO, Siemens, Germany). 3D blood flow data was processed by one experienced observer using new (A = MEVISFlow) and widely-used software (B = EnSight + Velomap-/FlowTool). Evaluation included: inter-/intra-observer variability of software A and inter-software comparison regarding (1) blood flow quantification (total-/peak flow) and (2) flow visualisation, plus (3) measurement of the time required for visualization and quantification of data (software A&B). (1) Inter-/intra-observer agreement of software A (mean difference ≤5.2 and ≤0.9 %, respectively) and inter-software agreement (mean difference ≤ 2.2 %) was high with high correlation of peak and total blood flow (r ≥ 0.74; p < 0.001 and r ≥ 0.91; p < 0.001). (2) Comparison of blood flow visualization showed substantial agreement (κ ≥ 0.68). (3) Data-analysis was three times faster when using software A [18:10 (±1:29) vs. 58:30 (±5:28) min; p < 0.0001]. Acceleration of blood flow quantification and visualisation using new software strongly facilitates future applications of 4D flow MRI and thus enables its usage in larger patient cohorts in clinical research and routine.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Leonie Eisebraun, Adriana Komancsek and Hansjörg Mast for performing MRI examinations and Samuel McNicholls for proofreading the final manuscript. Prof. Dr. Andreas Harloff receives funding from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) grant #HA5399/3-1. Johann Drexl receives funding from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) grant #FR2795/2-1.

Conflict of interest

Prof. Dr. Andreas Harloff has received speaker honoraria by Boehringer-Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pfizer Pharma GmbH, Bayer Healthcare, Bayer Pharma, Medtronic and Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH. None of the authors has financial disclosures that are related to the performance or content of this study and to the submission of this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Freiburg, Breisacher Straße 64, 79106, Freiburg, Germany

    Thomas Wehrum, Miriam Kams, Laure Schroeder & Andreas Harloff

  2. Fraunhofer MEVIS, Universitätsallee 29, 28359, Bremen, Germany

    Johann Drexl & Anja Hennemuth

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  1. Thomas Wehrum
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  2. Miriam Kams
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  3. Laure Schroeder
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  4. Johann Drexl
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  5. Anja Hennemuth
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  6. Andreas Harloff
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Correspondence to Thomas Wehrum.

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Wehrum, T., Kams, M., Schroeder, L. et al. Accelerated analysis of three-dimensional blood flow of the thoracic aorta in stroke patients. Int J Cardiovasc Imaging 30, 1571–1577 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10554-014-0511-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10554-014-0511-z

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