Imaging heart motion using harmonic phase MRI

This paper describes a new image processing technique for rapid analysis an d visualization of tagged cardiac magnetic resonance (MR) images. The metho d is based on the use of isolated spectral peaks in spatial modulation of m agnetization (SPAMM)-tagged magnetic resonance images. We call the calculat ed angle of the complex image corresponding to one of these peaks a harmoni c phase (HARP) image and show that HARP images can be used to synthesize co nventional tag lines, reconstruct displacement fields for small motions, an d calculate two-dimensional (2-D) strain, The performance of this new appro ach is demonstrated using both real and simulated tagged MR images, Potenti al for use of HARP images in fast imaging techniques and three-dimensional (3-D) analyses are discussed.