Pixel-wise assessment of cardiovascular magnetic resonance first-pass perfusion using a cardiac phantom mimicking transmural myocardial perfusion gradients

Pixel-wise assessment of cardiovascular magnetic resonance first-pass perfusion using a cardiac phantom mimicking transmural myocardial perfusion gradients

Milidonis, Xenios (King’s College London)
Nazir, Muhummad Sohaib (King’s College London)
Schneider, Torben (King’s College London; Philips)
Capstick, Myles (Zurich MedTech AG, Zurich)
Drost, S. (TU Delft Multi Phase Systems)
Kok, Gertjan (VSL Dutch Metrology Institute)
Pelevic, Nikola (VSL Dutch Metrology Institute)
Poelma, C. (TU Delft Multi Phase Systems)
Schaeffter, Tobias (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt)
Chiribiri, Amedeo (King’s College London)

2020

Purpose: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance first-pass perfusion for the pixel-wise detection of coronary artery disease is rapidly becoming the clinical standard, yet no widely available method exists for its assessment and validation. This study introduces a novel phantom capable of generating spatially dependent flow values to enable assessment of new perfusion imaging methods at the pixel level. Methods: A synthetic multicapillary myocardial phantom mimicking transmural myocardial perfusion gradients was designed and manufactured with high-precision 3D printing. The phantom was used in a stationary flow setup providing reference myocardial perfusion rates and was scanned on a 3T system. Repeated first-pass perfusion MRI for physiological perfusion rates between 1 and 4 mL/g/min was performed using a clinical dual-sequence technique. Fermi function-constrained deconvolution was used to estimate pixel-wise perfusion rate maps. Phase contrast (PC)-MRI was used to obtain velocity measurements that were converted to perfusion rates for validation of reference values and cross-method comparison. The accuracy of pixel-wise maps was assessed against simulated reference maps. Results: PC-MRI indicated excellent reproducibility in perfusion rate (coefficient of variation [CoV] 2.4-3.5%) and correlation with reference values (R² = 0.985) across the full physiological range. Similar results were found for first-pass perfusion MRI (CoV 3.7-6.2%, R² = 0.987). Pixel-wise maps indicated a transmural perfusion difference of 28.8-33.7% for PC-MRI and 23.8-37.7% for first-pass perfusion, matching the reference values (30.2-31.4%). Conclusion: The unique transmural perfusion pattern in the phantom allows effective pixel-wise assessment of first-pass perfusion acquisition protocols and quantification algorithms before their introduction into routine clinical use.

cardiovascular magnetic resonance
myocardial blood flow
myocardial perfusion
phantom
quality assurance
transmural gradients

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:9a9efe87-a288-4068-a96e-0c3785b1203d

https://doi.org/10.1002/mrm.28296

0740-3194

Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 84 (5), 2871-2884

Institutional Repository

journal article

© 2020 Xenios Milidonis, Muhummad Sohaib Nazir, Torben Schneider, Myles Capstick, S. Drost, Gertjan Kok, Nikola Pelevic, C. Poelma, Tobias Schaeffter, Amedeo Chiribiri