The Assessment of Right Ventricular Function and Pulmonary Artery Hemodynamics in Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension by 1.5T MRI

• Main Authors: Yan HAN, Zhenwen YANG, Tielian YU, Jing YU, Mina XUE, Zhang ZHANG, Dong LI
• Format: Article
• Language: zho
• Published: Chinese Anti-Cancer Association; Chinese Antituberculosis Association 2012-08-01
• Series: Chinese Journal of Lung Cancer
• Subjects: Magnetic resonance imaging; Hypertension, pulmonary; Ventricular function; Right pulmonary artery; Hemodynamics
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.3779/j.issn.1009-3419.2012.08.04

Background and objective Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is characterized by rising pulmonary arterial pressure, decreasing right ventricular (RV) function, and ultimately, RV failure. Therefore, it is important to monitor RV function and pulmonary artery hemodynamics accurately and noninvasively. This study evaluates cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) in assessing RV function and pulmonary artery hemodynamics in patients with PH. Methods Cine-MRI and phase-contrast MRI (PC-MRI) were performed in 25 PH patients and 30 healthy volunteers. Cine-MRI images were post-processed on Report Card software and the following parameters were obtained: RV end-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV), stroke volume (SV), ejection fraction (EF), and myocardial mass (MM). Except for EF, all of the above parameters were normalized to body surface area (BSA). PC-MRI images were post-processed on Report Card software, peak velocity and distensibility of main pulmonary artery (MPA) could also be obtained. Student t test was employed for statistical assessment.Results Compared with controls, RV EDV, ESV and MM index in PH patients were significantly increased (P<0.01), EF was significantly impaired (P<0.01), peak velocity and distensibility of MPA were significantly lower (P<0.01). SV index between the two groups had no significant difference (P>0.05). Conclusion Cardiac MRI is of great value in the assessment of RV function and MPA hemodynamic parameters in patients with PH.