[The measurement of the coronary flow by the phase contrast method (cine PC, Fastcard PC)]

We confirmed the accuracy of flow velocity measured by two kinds of phase contrast (PC) sequence. The fast PC sequence(FCARDPC) showed a little different value from the conventional PC, but the linear correlation was found between established values of the instrument and the measured velocity by the fast PC. The flow velocity of the right and left coronary arteries in one cardiac cycle was measured using two PC sequences on the same subject. It was found that the flow velocity in one cardiac cycle was almost the same pattern between the two method, though the absolute values of each other differed slightly. We considered that the comparison in the same sequence would be acceptable even in clinical cases unless the values measured by a different sequence or modality were compared directly. Though our experience on diseases are still preliminary, we suggest that myocardial ischemia and dysfunction will be related with not only the decrease of velocity but also the change of flow pattern of the coronary artery in one cardiac cycle. We believe that this method has a potential becoming one of the routine methods for evaluating cardiac functions.