Quantitative Analysis of Cardiac Muscle Perfusion

Full quantitative perfusion of the myocardial wall using MRI is a difficult method for several reasons. First the perfusion algorithm is mostly only relatively available, usually available algorithms /e.g. ISP/ shows not precise results according to our measurements, secondly based on signal physics and nature of MRI scans is not easy to get absolute numbers and specific new algorithms must be developed and tested. Such a tool is not only needed for some special cohort of patients, like 3-vessel disease, coronary artery disease or diffuse coronary artery involvement in coronary vasculopathy in patients after heart transplantation. Fully quantitative perfusion analysis is highly needed for nearly all cardiac patients to better characterise the health and status of the myocardium.