Anja Hennemuth1, Christian Schumann1, Mathias Neugebauer1, Hanieh Mirzaee1, Sarah Nordmeyer2, Marcus Kelm2, Leonid Goubergrits2, and Titus Kühne2
The induced pressure gradient due to the vessel narrowing
associated with coarctation of the aorta is a crucial parameter for treatment
planning. Previous studies have shown that pressure differences derived from 4D
PC MRI correlate well with conventional pressure catheter measurements. The
purpose of the presented work was to investigate how MRI-based pressure maps
can be employed in treatment planning of coarctation of the aorta. To this end,
a combined 3D maximum value projection, which highlights relative value changes
with respect to a reference point, and a curve diagram showing the pressure
course along the centerline are provided for interactive exploration. Two
cardiologists retrospectively explored 5 datasets of patients with treated
coarctation of the aorta. The pressure gradient derived from the 4D PC MRI
measurement corresponded well with the interventional measurements.
Furthermore, additional relevant information could be derived regarding the
location of the critical vessel sections. These findings show the potential of
4D PC MRI pressure mapping as a useful non-invasive tool for treatment planning
of coarctation of the aorta.
