Mapping right ventricular myocardial mechanics using 3D cine DENSE cardiovascular magnetic resonance

Whole heart 3D cine DENSE data were acquired from five healthy volunteers. Tailored post-processing algorithms for RV mid-wall tissue tracking and strain estimation are presented. A method for sub-dividing the RV into four regions according to anatomical land marks is proposed, and the temporal evolution of strain was assessed in these regions.The 3D cine DENSE tissue tracking methods successfully capture the motion and deformation of the RV at a high spatial resolution in all volunteers. The regional Lagrangian peak surface strain and time to peak values correspond with previous studies using myocardial tagging, DENSE and strain encoded CMR. The inflow region consistently displays lower peak strains than the apical and outflow regions, and the time to peak strains suggest RV mechanical activation in the following order: inflow, outflow, mid, then apex.Model-free techniques have been developed to study the myocardial mechanics of the RV at a high spatial resolution using 3D cine DENSE CMR. The consistency of the regional RV strain patterns across healthy subjects is encouraging and the techniques may have clinical utility in assessing disrupted RV mechanics in the diseased heart.Right ventricular (RV) function may be impaired in a number of heart conditions, including myocardial infarction, congenital heart disease and cardiomyopathy [1]. The function of the RV may also be affected in diseases of the left ventricle (LV) where it is difficult to ignore the complex nature of ventricular interaction [2,3]. In the past, the importance of the LV in cardiac research has overshadowed the study of the RV. This neglect is, in part, because the RV is difficult to image. The wall of the RV myocardium is thin (2-5 mm) when compared to that of the LV (7-11 mm) [2]. Furthermore, the RV has a complex geometry, eccentric motion [1,4] and it is heavily trabeculated, thus it does not offer the clearly defined endocardial margins typically seen in the LV.Various cardiovascular magneti