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Quantification of Mouse Heart Left Ventricular Function, Myocardial Strain, and Hemodynamic Forces by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Published on: May 24, 2021
Strain and torsion quantification in mouse hearts under dobutamine stimulation using 2D multiphase MR DENSE
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
|August 27, 2010
Summary
Researchers developed a novel 2D multiphase magnetic resonance displacement encoding with stimulated echoes (DENSE) method to quantify heart strain in mice. This technique accurately measures cardiac function and response to dobutamine stimulation.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular imaging
- Biomedical engineering
- Cardiac mechanics
Background:
- Accurate quantification of myocardial strain is crucial for understanding cardiac function.
- Existing methods for measuring cardiac strain in small animal models have limitations in resolution and accuracy.
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) offers non-invasive visualization of cardiac mechanics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a 2D multiphase magnetic resonance displacement encoding with stimulated echoes (DENSE) imaging technique for direct Lagrangian strain quantification in the mouse heart.
- To characterize regional ventricular wall strain and twist in mouse hearts at baseline and during dobutamine stimulation.
- To assess the capability of the DENSE method in evaluating cardiac functional responses.
Main Methods:
- Development of a 2D multiphase DENSE sequence for high temporal and in-plane resolution.
- Acquisition of cardiac MRI data in mouse hearts at baseline and under dobutamine infusion.
- Validation of DENSE strain calculations against magnetic resonance tagging.
- Analysis of regional strain (radial, circumferential) and torsion.
Main Results:
- Achieved <10 ms temporal resolution and 0.56 mm in-plane resolution with the 2D multiphase DENSE method.
- Demonstrated high correlation (R(2) > 0.80) between DENSE and magnetic resonance tagging for strain calculation.
- Observed significant increases in radial and circumferential strains and torsion during dobutamine stimulation.
- Identified rapid untwisting during early diastole post-stimulation.
Conclusions:
- The developed 2D multiphase DENSE MRI method enables direct and accurate quantification of Lagrangian strain in the mouse heart.
- This technique provides high-resolution insights into cardiac mechanics and functional responses.
- The DENSE method is effective for characterizing cardiac functional changes, such as those induced by dobutamine, in preclinical models.
