HeAT: A software assistant for the analysis of LV remodeling after myocardial infarction in 4D MR follow-up studies

Abstract

Spatio-temporal Cine-MR image sequences of the heart contain information about shape and motion changes, spatial delayed-enhanced (DE)-MR enables identification of pathological structures after myocardial infarction. In this paper the Heart Analysis Tool (HeAT) for the quantitative analysis of 4D MR image sequences of infarct patients is used to analyze the characteristics of left ventricular (LV) remodeling extracting regional and global parameters in the acute (base-line) and approximately 15 months past acute (follow-up) phase. The software assistant HeAT provides the combined evaluation of Cineand DE-MR image data. Partitioning of the myocardium in segments enables the analysis with high local resolution. Corresponding segments are generated and used for intra patient comparison. First results of 10 infarct patients indicate an exact analysis of morphological and functional characteristics of the infarcted myocardium. Based on the visualization and statistical interpretation of these analysis LV remodeling can be quantified. Quantitative analysis can help to find predictive parameters describing LV remodeling having an impact on further therapy.