Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 2, 2026

In vitro Assessment of Aortic Regurgitation Using Four-Dimensional Flow Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Published on: February 25, 2022
Phase-Contrast Magnetic Resonance Quantification of Aortic Regurgitation in Patients With Turbulent Aortic Flow
Elizabeth Lee, Blair Richards1, Jimmy C Lu2
1Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research.
Objective:
This study aimed to assess variability in measurements and accurately quantify aortic regurgitation in patients with coexisting turbulent aortic flow using phase-contrast magnetic resonance.
Methods:
All patients (n = 21) underwent phase-contrast magnetic resonance at 2 or more sites: ascending aorta, sinuses of Valsalva, and left ventricular outflow tract. The net flow/minute (NF), forward flow/minute (FF), regurgitant flow/minute (RF), and regurgitant fraction (RF%) were compared with the sum of superior vena cava and descending aortic flow/minute, left ventricular cardiac output, difference between the 2, and percentage difference, respectively.
Results:
The NF, FF, and RF were significantly different between each site. The combination of FF in the left ventricular outflow tract and NF from the superior vena cava + descending aorta provided the best reliability of RF and regurgitant fraction (intraclass correlation coefficients, 0.881 [95% confidence interval, 0.882-0.878] and 0.838 [95% confidence interval, 0.837-0.838]).
Conclusion:
Combining flow measurements from more than 1 site provides the most accurate quantification of aortic regurgitation in patients with turbulent aortic flow.
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