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Updated: Jun 16, 2026
Patient-specific Modeling of the Heart: Estimation of Ventricular Fiber Orientations
Published on: January 8, 2013
[Study of the three-dimensional structure of the ventricular myocardial fiber in human heart]
Wei-hua Ye1, Chang-qing Gao, Kun Lü
1Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, General Hospital of PLA, Institute of Cardiac Surgery of PLA, Beijing 100853, China. yeweihua71@sina.com
Insights
The human heart
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Anatomy
- Cardiac Imaging
- Biomedical Engineering
Context:
- Understanding the intricate architecture of the human heart is crucial for diagnosing and treating cardiac conditions.
- Previous studies have provided insights into myocardial fiber orientation, but a comprehensive 3D reconstruction remains an area of active research.
Purpose:
- To investigate the three-dimensional structure of ventricular myocardial fibers in the human heart using advanced imaging techniques.
- To visualize and analyze the complex arrangement of cardiac muscle fibers within the ventricles.
Summary:
- Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DT-MRI) was employed to scan eight human hearts from elderly male donors.
- Analysis revealed distinct two-layered structures in the left ventricular walls, with subendocardial and middle layers exhibiting oblique alignments.
- These layers converge into helical coils near the apex, supporting Torrent's hypothesis of the helical ventricular myocardial band (HVMB).
Impact:
- Provides a detailed 3D map of human ventricular myocardial fiber architecture.
- Offers a deeper understanding of cardiac mechanics and electrophysiology.
- Potential implications for developing targeted therapies and improving surgical outcomes in cardiovascular diseases.
Objective:
To study the three-dimensional structure of ventricular myocardial fiber in human heart.
Methods:
Eight human heart were obtained from male donors aged 81.9-/+7.2 years with a heart weight of 455.6-/+65.7 g. Each sample was immersed in water and scanned by diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI) using a 3 Tesla Exicte HD by an eight-channel head coils. The duration was 18.6-/+5.2 h from heart arresting to the scanning. The data were obtained using the protocol of single shot echo planar imaging (sshEPI) and sensitivity encoding (SENSE). The SENSE-sshEPI-scans (TE/TRZ86.4/2000 ms) of the whole heart were carried out (b=1000 s/mm(2), voxels 128x128, resolution 1.1 mmx1.1 mmx(3) mm, and FOV 14 cmx14 cm). Fiber tracking and reconstruction were performed using GE Advantage Windows Workstation. The three-dimensional structure of the ventricular myocardial fiber was observed.
Results:
The left ventricular myocardial fibers showed two layers with different directions of alignment in such regions as the anterior, septum, and posterior walls and the free left ventricular wall. The subendocardial layer ran obliquely from the base to the apex, and the middle layer ran obliquely upward from the base to the apex. The two layers were linked together and aligned in the pattern of helical coils near the apex.
Conclusions:
The three-dimensional structure of the myocardial fibers in human heart conforms to Torrent's hypothesis of helical ventricular myocardial band (HVMB).
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