Improved ejection fraction and flow velocity estimates with use of view sharing and uniform repetition time excitation with fast cardiac techniques

PURPOSE: To improve the accuracy of ventricular volume estimates and effective temporal resolution in fast cardiac acquisitions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data sets at intermediate temporal phases were generated by means of sharing of views from two temporally adjacent data sets. A simulated model was used, and studies with patients and volunteers were conducted. View sharing was implemented in both fast gradient-echo and fast phase-contrast cine acquisitions; breath holding was used when possible. RESULTS: Uniform repetition time (TR) radio-frequency (RF) excitation allowed a better assessment of the end-diastolic ventricular volume. In addition, view sharing provided a better estimate of end-systolic ventricular volume in cases in which rapid changes in volume occurred at or about the temporal boundary of the source images. View sharing also provided a much smoother representation of dynamic cardiac motion when viewed in a cine loop. CONCLUSION: View sharing and uniform TR RF excitation improve the accuracy of end-systolic and end-diastolic ventricular volume measurements by improving the effective temporal resolution.