Comparison of Left Ventricular Function Derived from Subject-Specific Inverse Finite Element Modeling Based on 3D...

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Imaging
• Computational Biology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Three-dimensional echocardiography (3D ECHO) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging are vital for assessing cardiac function in both clinical and research settings.
• Inverse finite element (FE) modeling, applied to MR images, quantifies left ventricular (LV) function and myocardial contractility.
• Direct comparison of myocardial contractility derived from 3D ECHO versus MR imaging using inverse FE modeling is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the comparability of myocardial contractility and LV geometrical features derived from 3D ECHO and MR imaging using subject-specific inverse FE models.
• To determine if 3D ECHO can be reliably used as an alternative to MR imaging in image-based inverse FE modeling for cardiac function assessment.

Main Methods:

• Developed subject-specific inverse FE models utilizing both 3D ECHO and MR imaging data from seven healthy swine.
• Reconstructed subject-specific LV geometries from both imaging modalities.
• Quantified LV end-systolic and end-diastolic volumes, ejection fraction, and myocardial contractility using inverse FE modeling.

Main Results:

• 3D ECHO and MR imaging yielded comparable end-systolic and end-diastolic volumes (R2=0.805 and 0.969, respectively).
• Ejection fraction derived from both modalities showed strong linear correlation (R2=0.977).
• Myocardial contractility estimations from 3D ECHO and MR imaging were highly correlated (R2=0.989), with a gradient of 0.895.

Conclusions:

• 3D ECHO-derived LV geometrical features are comparable to those derived from MR imaging.
• Myocardial contractility estimated using inverse FE modeling based on 3D ECHO images is comparable to that derived from MR images.
• 3D ECHO is a viable imaging modality for image-based inverse FE modeling to assess myocardial contractility, offering a potentially more accessible alternative to MR imaging.