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Abstract #0763

Heart-Within-Heart Dynamic Systems Implicit in Myocardial Fiber Architecture Revealed by Diffusion Tensor Tractography

Kuan-Liang Liu1, Hsi-Yu Yu2, V. J. Wedeen3, Wen-Yih Isaac Tseng1,4

1Center for Optoelectronic Biomedicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; 2Departments of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taiwan; 3Department of Radiology, MGH Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States; 4Department of Medical Imaging, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taiwan


It is long known that the myocardial architecture has its functional significance. However, up to now there are no models that can fully explain the relationship between myocardial fiber structure and the mechanism of cardiac motion. In this study, we proposed using diffusion tensor imaging and fiber tracking technique to perform virtual dissection of the myocardial fiber architecture. We found that the LV myocardial fibers can be classified into two systems; the inner heart system corresponds to the motion of torsion and longitudinal shortening and the outer heart system corresponds to radial contraction of the LV wall.