ESTIMATION OF DEFORMATION GRADIENT AND STRAIN FROM CINE-PC VELOCITY DATA

Phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide in vivo my ocardial velocity field measurements, These data allow densely spaced material points to be tracked throughout the whole heart cycle using, for example, the Fourier tracking algorithm, To process the tracking r esults for myocardial deformation and strain quantification, we develo ped a method that is based on fitting the tracking results to an appro priate local deformation model, We further analyzed the accuracy and p recision of the method and provided performance predictions for severa l local models. In order to validate the method and the theoretical pe rformance analysis, we conducted controlled computer simulations and a phantom study. The results agreed well with expectations. Human heart data were also acquired and analyzed, and provided encouraging result s, At the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) level and spatial resolution exp ected in clinical settings, the study predicts strain quantification a ccuracy and precision that may allow the technique to become a practic al and powerful noninvasive approach for the study of cardiac function , although clinically acceptable data acquisition strategies for three -dimensional (3-D) data are still a challenge.