Visualization of flow structures in Fontan patients using 3-dimensional phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Our objective was to analyze 3-dimensional (3D) blood flow patterns within the total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) using in vivo phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging (PC MRI).

Methods

Sixteen single-ventricle patients were prospectively recruited at 2 leading pediatric institutions for PC MRI evaluation of their Fontan pathway. Patients were divided into 2 groups. Group 1 comprised 8 patients with an extracardiac (EC) TCPC, and group 2 comprised 8 patients with a lateral tunnel (LT) TCPC. A coronal stack of 5 to 10 contiguous PC MRI slices with 3D velocity encoding (5-9 ms resolution) was acquired and a volumetric flow field was reconstructed.

Results

Analysis revealed large vortices in LT TCPCs and helical flow structures in EC TCPCs. On average, the

SUBMITTER: Sundareswaran KS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3437662 | biostudies-literature | 2012 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature