[An Examination of Variable Image Positions in the Aortic Valve Blood Flow Using Phase Contrast MRI: Effect of Breath-holding Methods in Healthy Volunteers].

Phase contrast MRI (PC-MRI) is a useful tool for evaluating valvular pathology. In addition, PC-MRI can provide a noninvasive assessment of blood flow in an arbitrary cross section. However, the blood flow measurement with breath-hold or free breath PC-MRI may be different from each other because of intrathoracic pressure changing and variable image position. The aim of this study was to find both the optimal breath-hold technique and the image position. Quantitative flow images were acquired in four planes (ascending aorta: Ao, sino-tubular junction: STJ, valsalva sinus: valsalva, left ventricular outflow tract: LVOT), in healthy subjects (n=10). The study protocol was divided into two parts: (1) stroke volume (SV) measured in each slice positions by using inspiration, expiration, and navigation method during normal breathing and (2) SV measured at each breath-hold techniques in the Ao, STJ, valsalva, and LVOT. As a result, (1) SV of the respective measurement positions were not significant by using inspiration, expiration, and navigation method and (2) LVOT SV was significantly lower than Ao, STJ, and valsalva.