Brain activation in response to a tactile stimulation: functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) versus cognitive analysis.

Objective. The aim of this study was to compare fMRI analysis of somatosensory areas activated by passive touch, to cognitive analysis of the psychological profile of human subjects. Methods.

Angular (Gothic) aortic arch leads to enhanced systolic wave reflection, central aortic stiffness, and increased left ventricular mass late after aortic coarctation repair: evaluation with magnetic resonance flow mapping.

Objective: We sought to investigate the mechanism whereby a particular deformity of the aortic arch, an angulated Gothic shape, might lead to hypertension late after anatomically successful repair of aortic coarctation.

Methods: Fifty-five normotensive patients with anatomically successful repair of aortic coarctation and either a Gothic (angulated) or a Romanesque (smooth and rounded) arch were studied with magnetic resonance angiography and flow mapping in both the ascending and descending aortas. Systolic waveforms, central aortic stiffness, and pulse velocity were measured.

Increased central aortic stiffness and left ventricular mass in normotensive young subjects after successful coarctation repair.

Background: Hypertension occurs in 20% to 40% of survivors of anatomically successful repair of aortic coarctation (CoA). The aim of the present study was to examine the role of central aortic function in this setting.

Methods: Forty normotensive asymptomatic subjects with successful CoA repair (age 12 +/- 8 years) and 20 age- and sex-matched control subjects underwent detailed magnetic resonance imaging investigation of the thoracic aorta and left ventricle.

Interobserver variability in assessing segmental function can be reduced by combining visual analysis of CMR cine sequences with corresponding parametric images of myocardial contraction.

Objective: To evaluate if color-coded parametric images could help subjective visual analysis and improve interobserver agreement in the evaluation of segmental contraction (SC) in CMR.

Background: Routine evaluation of SC in CMR remains mostly based on visual analysis of cine loops and subsequent interobserver variability remains a potential drawback.

Materials And Methods: Three short axis cine loops were obtained in 33 subjects (18 myocardial infarction, 15 control), and 528 segments were analyzed.

Velocity encoding versus acceleration encoding for pressure gradient estimation in MR haemodynamic studies.

Many methods have been proposed to extract pressure gradient maps from magnetic resonance (MR) images. They were based on the resolution of the haemodynamic model of Navier-Stokes and needed the flow acceleration to be known. Most used velocity data acquisition and computed acceleration from temporal and spatial derivatives of the velocity field.