Volumetric cardiac quantification by using 3D dual-phase whole-heart MR imaging
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Updated: Jul 4, 2026
3D Whole-heart Myocardial Tissue Analysis
Published on: April 12, 2017
Sergio Uribe1, Tarinee Tangchaoren, Victoria Parish
1Division of Imaging Sciences, King's College London, BHF Centre, St Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, England. sergio.uribe_arancibia@kcl.ac.uk
Insights
A new 3D magnetic resonance imaging method accurately quantifies cardiac volumes. This free-breathing technique provides comparable results to traditional methods for assessing left and right ventricular function.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Imaging
- Medical Physics
- Cardiac MRI
Background:
- Accurate assessment of ventricular volumes is crucial for diagnosing and managing cardiovascular diseases.
- Traditional cardiac MRI methods often require breath-holding, which can be challenging for some patients.
- Developing free-breathing techniques can improve patient comfort and data acquisition efficiency.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a novel three-dimensional (3D) whole-heart magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) approach for assessing ventricular volumes.
- To compare the accuracy of this new dual-cardiac phase 3D MRI technique against established methods.
- To determine the feasibility of acquiring end-systolic and end-diastolic ventricular volumes in a single free-breathing examination.
Main Methods:
- Acquisition of 3D dual cardiac phase whole-heart datasets during free-breathing MRI.
- Comparison with short-axis multisection breath-hold images and through-plane flow measurements.
- Statistical analysis to compare stroke, end-systolic, and end-diastolic volumes for the left ventricle (LV) and right ventricle (RV).
Main Results:
- The novel 3D dual-cardiac phase approach yielded results comparable to breath-hold and flow measurement methods.
- High correlation coefficients (r > 0.95) were observed between the new technique and conventional methods.
- No significant differences were found in quantified LV or RV volumes (stroke, end-systolic, end-diastolic) across the compared techniques.
Conclusions:
- The novel 3D free-breathing MRI technique offers a reliable and accurate method for quantifying cardiac ventricular volumes.
- This approach demonstrates comparable performance to established breath-hold techniques, potentially improving patient experience.
- The findings support the clinical utility of this advanced MRI technique for cardiac function assessment.
Abstract:
This study was approved by the local institutional ethics committee, and informed consent was obtained from all volunteers and patients. The purpose of the study was to assess ventricular volumes by using three-dimensional (3D) whole-heart data sets acquired during end-systolic and end-diastolic phases during one free-breathing magnetic resonance imaging examination. In five healthy volunteers and 10 patients, 3D dual cardiac phase data sets, short-axis multisection breath-hold images, and through-plane flow images of the great vessels were acquired. Within these data sets, statistic analyses were performed to compare stroke, end-systolic, and end-diastolic volumes for the left ventricle (LV) and the right ventricle (RV). Results showed that the breath-hold multisection approach, the flow measurement approach, and the new dual-phase 3D approach delivered comparable results for quantification of cardiac volumes and function. High correlation values greater than 0.95 were found when these methods were compared, and no significant differences were recognized for stroke, end-systolic, or end-diastolic volumes in either the LV or the RV.
