A Systematic Review of 4D-Flow MRI Derived Mitral Regurgitation Quantification Methods

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Imaging
• Medical Physics
• Diagnostic Technology

Background:

• Mitral regurgitation (MR) quantification is crucial for patient management.
• Current MR quantification methods face limitations, especially in complex congenital heart disease.
• Four-dimensional flow cardiac magnetic resonance (4D flow CMR) offers a non-invasive approach to quantify MR volume.

Approach:

• A systematic review of literature was conducted by searching Medline and EMBASE databases.
• Studies were screened for relevance, with a third adjudicator for uncertain cases.
• Seven studies met the eligibility criteria for inclusion in the review.

Key Points:

• Retrospective valve tracking (RVT) was the most common 4D flow CMR method evaluated.
• RVT demonstrated reliability and accuracy in quantifying regurgitant volume.
• 4D flow CMR methods aim to overcome limitations of current quantification techniques.

Conclusions:

• 4D flow CMR is a feasible and accurate method for MR quantification.
• 4D flow CMR may be as accurate and reliable as echocardiography for MR assessment.
• Further research is needed to optimize 4D flow CMR analysis techniques and clinical outcome prediction.