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Published on: July 18, 2014
Atlas-Based Computational Analysis of Heart Shape and Function in Congenital Heart Disease
Kathleen Gilbert1, Nickolas Forsch2, Sanjeet Hegde3
1Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, University of Auckland, 85 Park Rd, Grafton, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand.
Insights
Computational atlases help monitor congenital heart defect (CHD) progression. This approach quantifies heart remodeling using z scores, aiding in patient management and understanding disease mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Computational biology
- Cardiovascular imaging
- Medical device technology
Background:
- Congenital heart defects (CHD) affect approximately 1% of newborns.
- Surgical correction improves survival, but many patients need ongoing monitoring for heart failure.
- Accurate assessment of heart shape and function is crucial for managing CHD patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present recent advancements in computational atlases for quantifying heart shape and function in CHD.
- To enable effective monitoring of disease progression through longitudinal z-score evaluation.
- To investigate underlying mechanisms of cardiac pathology using biomechanical analysis.
Main Methods:
- Development of computational atlases for single ventricle and biventricular heart models.
- Quantification of cardiac remodeling using z scores relative to reference populations.
- Biomechanical analysis of cardiac function correlated with population variations.
Main Results:
- Computational atlases allow for multidimensional quantification of regional heart shape and function.
- Longitudinal evaluation of z scores effectively monitors disease progression.
- Analysis provides insights into biomechanical factors influencing pathology development.
Conclusions:
- Computational atlases offer a powerful tool for characterizing and monitoring patients with congenital heart disease.
- This approach facilitates personalized patient management and a deeper understanding of disease mechanisms.
- Further research in single ventricle and biventricular pathologies is supported by these advancements.
Abstract:
Approximately 1% of all babies are born with some form of congenital heart defect. Many serious forms of CHD can now be surgically corrected after birth, which has led to improved survival into adulthood. However, many patients require serial monitoring to evaluate progression of heart failure and determine timing of interventions. Accurate multidimensional quantification of regional heart shape and function is required for characterizing these patients. A computational atlas of single ventricle and biventricular heart shape and function enables quantification of remodeling in terms of z scores in relation to specific reference populations. Progression of disease can then be monitored effectively by longitudinal evaluation of z scores. A biomechanical analysis of cardiac function in relation to population variation enables investigation of the underlying mechanisms for developing pathology. Here, we summarize recent progress in this field, with examples in single ventricle and biventricular congenital pathologies.
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