Valvular regurgitation: dynamic MR imaging

Cine magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is a new technique that combines short repetition times, limited flip angles, gradient refocused echoes, and cardiac gating. This technique has a temporal resolution of up to 32 time frames per cardiac cycle and accentuates signal from flowing blood. Cine MR images of 56 valves in 27 patients were evaluated and compared with either Doppler echocardiograms or cardiac catheterization images. An area of decreased signal that correlated spatially and temporally with regurgitant blood flow was seen in all instances in which valvular incompetence was demonstrated on either Doppler echocardiograms or cardiac catheterization images (20 valves). This abnormality was seen in nine of 36 cases without valvular incompetence. Cine MR imaging may be sensitive to turbulence and thus sensitive to valvular regurgitation.