Radiology, Vol 154, 129-132, Copyright © 1985 by Radiological Society of North America
Gated cardiac magnetic resonance structural imaging: optimization by electronic axial rotation
DH Feiglin, CR George, WJ MacIntyre, JK O'Donnell, RT Go, W Pavlicek and TF Meaney
Most magnetic resonance imaging has used body orthogonal axes with the Z
axis placed along the length of the body and the X and Y axes at right
angles to the body. This orientation is not optimum for the heart;
visualization of sections along the short and long cardiac axes would best
define cardiac structural detail and functional status. The new orientation
was accomplished by selection of electronic angulation of the magnetic
fields for each subject rather than by attempting to approximate the
cardiac axes by altering the position of the patient. This technique
improved visualization of comparative wall segments, valvular structures,
and the true four-chamber view of the heart, and also gave the best
visualization of the pericardium. In addition, more accurate estimates of
chamber size and myocardial mass can be made from the short-axis
orientation, since the sections are orthogonal to the myocardium.
