Prasanta Pal1, Ziheng Zhang1, Ben A. Lin2, Mitchel Stacy2, Donald Dione2, Albert J. Sinusas2, Smita Sampath1
1Diagnostic Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; 2Internal Medicine Cardiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
We have developed an EPI-based high temporal resolution phase contrast MR imaging pulse sequence. This sequence was used to acquire LA velocity data in two orthogonal directions on a 4-chamber slice. The velocity data with the application of appropriate data filters was used to quantify vorticity patterns in the left atrium (LA). We observed significant differences between the net vorticity of normal pigs and ~8 day post myocardial infarct pigs. We hypothesize that alterations in vorticity patterns may provide a quantitative tool to assess early changes in atrial function.