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General Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery

Published in:

01-11-2017 | Current Topics Review Article

New imaging tools in cardiovascular medicine: computational fluid dynamics and 4D flow MRI

Authors: Keiichi Itatani, Shohei Miyazaki, Tokoki Furusawa, Satoshi Numata, Sachiko Yamazaki, Kazuki Morimoto, Rina Makino, Hiroko Morichi, Teruyasu Nishino, Hitoshi Yaku

Published in: General Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery | Issue 11/2017

Abstract

Blood flow imaging is a novel technology in cardiovascular medicine and surgery. Today, two types of blood flow imaging tools are available: measurement-based flow visualization including 4D flow MRI (or 3D cine phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging), or echocardiography flow visualization software, and computer flow simulation modeling based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD). MRI and echocardiography flow visualization provide measured blood flow but have limitations in temporal and spatial resolution, whereas CFD flow calculates the flow according to assumptions instead of flow measurement, and it has sufficiently fine resolution up to the computer memory limit, and it enables even virtual surgery when combined with computer graphics. Blood flow imaging provides profound insight into the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases, because it quantifies and visualizes mechanical stress on the vessel walls or heart ventricle. Wall shear stress (WSS) is a stress on the endothelial wall caused by the near wall blood flow, and it is thought to be a predictor of atherosclerosis progression in coronary or aortic diseases. Flow energy loss (EL) is the loss of blood flow energy caused by viscous friction of turbulent diseased flow, and it is expected to be a predictor of ventricular workload on various heart diseases including heart valve disease, cardiomyopathy, and congenital heart diseases. Blood flow imaging can provide useful information for developing predictive medicine in cardiovascular diseases, and may lead to breakthroughs in cardiovascular surgery, especially in the decision-making process.

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Title: New imaging tools in cardiovascular medicine: computational fluid dynamics and 4D flow MRI
Authors: Keiichi Itatani
Shohei Miyazaki
Tokoki Furusawa
Satoshi Numata
Sachiko Yamazaki
Kazuki Morimoto
Rina Makino
Hiroko Morichi
Teruyasu Nishino
Hitoshi Yaku
Publication date: 01-11-2017
Publisher: Springer Japan
Published in: General Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery / Issue 11/2017
Print ISSN: 1863-6705
Electronic ISSN: 1863-6713
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11748-017-0834-5

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

New imaging tools in cardiovascular medicine: computational fluid dynamics and 4D flow MRI

Abstract

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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