Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 8, 2025
Human Fetal Blood Flow Quantification with Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Motion Compensation
Published on: January 7, 2021
Further Improving Image Quality of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography Angiography for Children With High Heart Rates
Jihang Sun1, Darin Okerlund2, Yongli Cao1
1From the Department of Radiology, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Xicheng District, Beijing, China.
Insights
A new whole-heart motion correction algorithm significantly enhances cardiac computed tomography angiography image quality in children with high heart rates. This advanced technique improves visualization of heart structures beyond coronary arteries, crucial for accurate pediatric cardiac imaging.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Imaging
- Medical Physics
- Pediatric Cardiology
Background:
- Current motion correction algorithms for pediatric cardiovascular computed tomography angiography (CCTA) are insufficient for high heart rates, leading to motion artifacts.
- Existing methods are less effective for structures beyond the coronary arteries, limiting diagnostic accuracy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a second-generation, whole-heart motion correction algorithm for CCTA in pediatric patients with high heart rates.
- To assess the algorithm's effectiveness in improving overall cardiac image quality.
Main Methods:
- 42 pediatric patients with high heart rates underwent CCTA using a prospective ECG-triggered single-beat protocol.
- Images were reconstructed with standard (STD), first-generation motion correction (MC1), and second-generation whole-heart motion correction (MC2) algorithms.
- Radiologists assessed image quality of various cardiac structures using a 4-point scale; statistical analysis compared algorithm performance.
Main Results:
- The second-generation algorithm (MC2) demonstrated superior image quality across most cardiac structures compared to STD and MC1.
- MC2 outperformed both MC1 and STD for all evaluated structures except the ventricular and atrial septa.
- MC1 showed improvement over STD only for the left coronary origin, right coronary origin, and mitral valve.
Conclusions:
- The second-generation whole-heart motion correction algorithm significantly enhances CCTA image quality in pediatric patients with high heart rates.
- This advanced algorithm provides improved visualization of cardiac structures beyond the coronary arteries, offering better diagnostic potential.
Background:
The state-of-art motion correction algorithm is inadequate for correcting motion artifacts in coronary arteries in cardiovascular computed tomography angiography (CCTA) for children with high heart rates, and even less effective for heart structures beyond coronary arteries.
Purpose:
This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a second-generation, whole-heart motion correction algorithm in improving the heart image quality of CCTA for children with high heart rates.
Materials And Methods:
Forty-two consecutive symptomatic cardiac patients with high heart rates (122.6 ± 18.8 beats/min) were enrolled. All patients underwent CCTA on a 256-row CT using a prospective electrocardiogram-triggered single-beat protocol. Images were reconstructed using a standard algorithm (STD), state-of-the-art first-generation coronary artery motion correction algorithm (MC1), and second-generation, whole-heart motion correction algorithm (MC2). The image quality of the origin of left coronary, right coronary, aortic valve, pulmonary valve, mitral valve, tricuspid valve, aorta root, pulmonary artery root, ventricular septum (VS), and atrial septum (AS) was assessed by 2 experienced radiologists using a 4-point scale (1, nondiagnostic; 2, detectable; 3, measurable; and 4, excellent); nonparametric test was used to analyze and compare the differences among 3 groups; and post hoc multiple comparisons were used between different methods.
Results:
There were group differences for cardiac structures except VS and AS, with MC2 having the best image quality and STD having the worst image quality. Post hoc multiple comparisons showed that MC2 was better than MC1 and STD in all structures except VS and AS where all 3 algorithms performed equally, whereas MC1 was better than STD only in the origin of left coronary, right coronary, and mitral valve.
Conclusions:
A second-generation, whole-heart motion correction algorithm further significantly improves cardiac image quality beyond the coronaries in CCTA for pediatric patients with high heart rates.
More Related Videos
06:59Improved Registration of 3D CT Angiography with X-ray Fluoroscopy for Image Fusion During Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation
Published on: June 3, 2018
06:53Management of Respiratory Motion Artefacts in 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography using an Amplitude-Based Optimal Respiratory Gating Algorithm
Published on: July 23, 2020
Related Concept Videos
01:28Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System V: CT
01:21Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System IV: CMRI
01:25Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System VI: Calcium -Scoring CT