4D flow cardiac magnetic resonance postprocessing in congenital heart disease: SCMR FLIICR workgroup recommendations

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Medical Imaging
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Adult congenital heart disease (CHD) survival is high due to surgical advances.
• Lifelong follow-up and non-invasive imaging are essential for CHD management.
• Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is a key non-invasive imaging modality for CHD, offering advantages over echocardiography.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define the requirements for an "ideal" post-processing software for 4D flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) in congenital heart disease (CHD) patients.
• To guide the development of improved 4D flow post-processing and visualization tools for CHD.
• To enhance the accuracy and efficiency of diagnostic and therapeutic patient care in CHD.

Main Methods:

• The document addresses general requirements for 4D flow post-processing software.
• Key technical aspects discussed include velocity encoding, offset and aliasing correction.
• It also covers visualization, segmentation, reconstruction, and output data considerations.

Main Results:

• Comprehensive post-processing of 4D flow data in CHD can be complex and demanding.
• There is a need for specialized software to handle the intricacies of CHD hemodynamics.
• Improved post-processing is crucial for maximizing the benefits of 4D flow CMR.

Conclusions:

• The development of ideal 4D flow post-processing software is critical for advancing CHD care.
• Enhanced software solutions will improve the accuracy and efficiency of CMR in CHD patients.
• This initiative aims to support stakeholders in creating better tools for CHD management.