Purpose: The goal of this study was to evaluate a newly developed semiautomated contour detection algorithm for the quantitative analysis of cardiovascular MRI.
Method: Left ventricular function parameters derived from automatically detected endocardial and epicardial contours were compared with results derived from manually traced contours in short-axis multislice GRE MRI studies of 10 normal volunteers and 10 infarct patients.
Results: Compared with manual image analysis, the semiautomated method resulted in the following systematic and random differences (auto-manual; mean +/- SD): end-diastolic volume: -5.
Rationale And Objectives: Short-axis magnetic resonance images of the cardiac left ventricle, acquired in multiple slices and phases, may be used for the quantitative assessment of regional wall parameters. Conventional two-dimensional (2-D) methods for wall thickness measurement rely on information within one imaging plane, which may result in overestimation of the true thickness depending on the local direction of myocardial wall with respect to the imaging plane.
Methods: To perform wall thickness measurements truly perpendicular to the myocardial wall, a three-dimensional (3-D) wall thickness calculation algorithm has been developed based on the 2-D improved centerline method.
Background: Regional left ventricular dysfunction is a major consequence of myocardial ischemia, and its extent determines long-term prognosis. Accurate and reproducible analysis of left ventricular dysfunction is therefore useful for risk stratification and patient management.
Methods And Results: Short-axis cardiac cine magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was performed in 25 patients after anterior myocardial infarction at 21 +/- 2.