Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 9, 2026
Registered Bioimaging of Nanomaterials for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Monitoring
Published on: December 9, 2010
Rapid left-to-right shunt quantification in children by phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging combined with
Philipp Beerbaum1, Hermann Körperich, Jürgen Gieseke
1Klinik für Angeborene Herzfehler, Herz- und Diabeteszentrum, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany. pbeerbaum@hdz-nrw.de
Insights
Sensitivity Encoding (SENSE) combined with phase-contrast MRI (PC-MRI) significantly reduces scan times for pediatric congenital heart disease flow quantification. This accelerated method allows accurate Qp/Qs ratio measurement in under 60 seconds.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Cardiovascular MRI
- Pediatric Cardiology
Background:
- Sensitivity Encoding (SENSE) is a parallel imaging technique that can substantially decrease MRI scan times.
- Phase-contrast MRI (PC-MRI) is used for flow quantification, particularly in pediatric congenital heart disease.
- Combining SENSE with PC-MRI may enable faster and more efficient flow measurements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of combining SENSE with PC-MRI for rapid flow quantification in pediatric patients with congenital heart disease.
- To assess the impact of different SENSE reduction factors (SF-2, SF-3) and spatial resolutions on flow measurement accuracy.
- To determine if accelerated PC-MRI techniques can achieve clinically relevant scan times without compromising diagnostic quality.
Main Methods:
- Phase-contrast MRI (PC-MRI) with SENSE reduction factors 2 and 3 (SF-2, SF-3) was used to measure pulmonary artery (Qp) and ascending aorta (Qs) blood flow rates in 22 pediatric patients.
- Flow measurements were compared to a standard PC-MRI protocol and validated using an in vitro pulsatile flow phantom.
- Higher spatial in-plane resolution was also tested with and without SF-3 to assess its effect on measurement accuracy.
Main Results:
- SENSE-accelerated PC-MRI (SF-2 and SF-3) reduced measurement times significantly compared to standard PC-MRI, with SF-3 achieving measurements in <60 seconds.
- Flow rates (Qp, Qs) and the Qp/Qs ratio showed negligible differences (+/-3%) between SENSE-accelerated and standard PC-MRI, indicating good agreement.
- Higher in-plane resolution did not yield improved measurement results, and in vitro validation confirmed the accuracy of all tested protocols.
Conclusions:
- PC-MRI combined with SENSE offers a substantial reduction in scan time for flow quantitation.
- PC-MRI with SENSE factor 3 (PC-MRI+SF-3) enables accurate Qp/Qs quantification in children with left-to-right shunts in under 60 seconds.
- Increased spatial resolution does not enhance measurement accuracy in this accelerated technique.
Background:
Parallel imaging by sensitivity encoding (SENSE) may considerably reduce scan time in MRI. For rapid flow quantification in children with congenital heart disease, we evaluated phase-contrast MRI (PC-MRI) techniques combined with SENSE.
Methods And Results:
In 22 pediatric patients (mean age, 7.2+/-6.2 years) with cardiac left-to-right shunt, blood flow rate in the pulmonary artery (Qp) and ascending aorta (Qs) and flow ratio Qp/Qs were determined by PC-MRI with SENSE reduction-factor 2 and 3 (SF-2 and SF-3). Additionally, we used PC-MRI with higher spatial in-plane resolution (1.6x2.1 versus 2.3x3.1 mm) with and without SF-3. Results were compared with a recently validated standard PC-MRI protocol and tested in vitro using a pulsatile flow phantom. Reduction of signal averages from 2 to 1 and application of SENSE accelerated flow measurements by a factor of 3.5 (5.2) using PC-MRI with SF-2 (SF-3) compared with standard PC-MRI. For blood flow rate through the pulmonary artery and aorta, as well as for the Qp/Qs ratio we found negligible differences of +/-3%, lower limits of agreement (mean+/-2 SD) of -7% to -18%, and upper limits of agreement (mean+/-2 SD) of +3 to +24%, demonstrating good agreement with standard PC-MRI. Mean Qp/Qs ratio by standard PC-MRI was 1.69+/-0.45 (range, 1.27 to 2.79). Interobserver variability was low, and high accuracy was confirmed in vitro for all protocols.
Conclusions:
PC-MRI for flow quantitation may be combined with SENSE to achieve a substantive reduction of scanning time. In children with left-to-right shunt, Qp/Qs quantification is possible by PC-MRI+SF-3 in <60 seconds. Use of higher in-plane resolution did not improve measurement results.
