Meeting Banner
Abstract #0228

In Vivo Assessment of Myofiber Dynamics in the Human Heart Using Supertoroidal Analysis of Diffusion Tensor MRI

Choukri Mekkaoui1, Sonia Nielles-Vallespin2, Peter Gatehouse2, Marcel P. Jackowski3, David Firmin2, David E. Sosnovik4

1Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States; 2Royal Brompton Hospital; 3University of So Paulo; 4Harvard Medical School - Massachusetts General Hospital

Supertoroidal analysis provides a novel formalism to analyze diffusion tensor MRI (DTI) data in the heart. Here, for the first time, we use supertoroids to analyze in vivo DTI datasets from normal human volunteers. We show that the volumetric nature of supertroidal-derived indices makes them extremely sensitive to changes in the diffusion eigenvalues. The orientation of the toroids (primary diffusion eigenvector) changes little as the myocardium contracts, except in the subepicardium. However, toroidal volume and curvature both decrease significantly as the myocardium contracts, reflecting a reduction in diffusion anisotropy in the myocardium during systole.

Abstract PDF Presentation Video

Keywords

analyze animal animals anisotropic anisotropy anterior assess assessment cardiac clinical computed contracts converged curvature cycle datasets decrease depicted describe detection determined deviation diagonalized diastole diffusion disease dynamic dynamics effectiveness eigenvalue eigenvalues eigenvector eigenvectors eight elongated encoded encoding except field fields formalism funding gatehouse general gradient heart hearts helix highly holds hospital human humans in vivo indicating individual inferior lateral leftward little makes marked material medical model models myocardial myocardium nature orientation particularly peter pixel previously primary principal promise reduction reductions reflected reflecting remains resolution robustly rotation royal saturation scanner school secondary sectors sensitive shape sheet significantly slices spatial specifically spherical statistical steam structure subtle systole tensor tertiary thicker toroidal toroids ventricle versus volume volumetric volunteers wall walls whether yield