A comprehensive cardiac motion estimation framework using both untagged and 3-D tagged MR images based on nonrigid registration

IEEE Trans Med Imaging. 2012 Jun;31(6):1263-75. doi: 10.1109/TMI.2012.2188104. Epub 2012 Feb 15.

Abstract

In this paper, we present a novel technique based on nonrigid image registration for myocardial motion estimation using both untagged and 3-D tagged MR images. The novel aspect of our technique is its simultaneous usage of complementary information from both untagged and 3-D tagged MR images. To estimate the motion within the myocardium, we register a sequence of tagged and untagged MR images during the cardiac cycle to a set of reference tagged and untagged MR images at end-diastole. The similarity measure is spatially weighted to maximize the utility of information from both images. In addition, the proposed approach integrates a valve plane tracker and adaptive incompressibility into the framework. We have evaluated the proposed approach on 12 subjects. Our results show a clear improvement in terms of accuracy compared to approaches that use either 3-D tagged or untagged MR image information alone. The relative error compared to manually tracked landmarks is less than 15% throughout the cardiac cycle. Finally, we demonstrate the automatic analysis of cardiac function from the myocardial deformation fields.

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Cardiac-Gated Imaging Techniques / methods
  • Humans
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional / methods*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*
  • Movement / physiology*
  • Myocardial Contraction / physiology*
  • Pattern Recognition, Automated / methods*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Subtraction Technique*
  • Ventricular Function, Left / physiology*