Estimation of LV Function from Navigator Triggered, Real-Time Cardiac Cine Steady-State Free Precession (SSFP) Imaging

Amol Pednekar¹, Benjamin Cheong², Raja Muthupillai², Claudio Arena²

We propose an integrated real-time data acquisition and retrospective post-processing strategy to estimate parameters characterizing global function of the left ventricle. Our initial evaluation of feasibility of this approach in normal subjects shows that slice-by-slice LV volumes estimated using the real-time cine imaging approach are comparable to the LV volumes obtained using conventional, breathhold cardiac cine SSFP techniques. The combination of respiratory navigator triggering, real-time unsegmented SSFP cine imaging, and integrated retrospective automated processing may make this approach particularly useful in patients with severe arrhythmias, and/or severely compromised respiratory function.