Complex flow patterns in the great vessels: a review

The article reviews the applications of magnetic resonance velocity mapping based on phase shifts in the protons to quantify blood flow velocity and b lood flow volume. The method can be used to study normal physiology of bloo d flow in the aorta and its major branches, including forward and backward flow, to measure the aortic valve function in aortic valvular disease, sten osis and regurgitation, as well as pulmonary artery flow velocities in pulm onic insufficiency and regurgitation. Superior vena cava flows, pulmonary v ein flows, left-to-right shunts, atrial and ventricular pulmonary conduit f lows can also be measured. Two- and three-directional velocity mapping is r eviewed and can be used to study three- or four-D flows in the aorta and th e major arteries in great detail.