Increasing pressures inside the heart bring on the terrible condition of heart failure. Lead researcher Pankaj Garg from the University of East Anglia (UEA) said, “We have been investigating 4D flow MRI, one of the most advanced techniques for assessing flow inside the heart.
London: Researchers have created a novel technology that can detect patients with heart failure in half the time currently required. This technology may help with patient diagnosis and deliver more effective treatments. Researchers at the University of East Anglia (UEA) in the UK have developed a system that uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to create intricate four-dimensional (4D) flow images of the heart.
However, they claimed that the new scanning technology only takes eight minutes, as opposed to the conventional MRI, which can take up to or more than 20 minutes.
The outcomes give doctors a precise picture of the heart valves and blood flow inside the heart, which aids them in choosing the most effective treatment plan for patients.
Garg stated, “In 4D flow MRI, we can look at the flow in three directions over time – the fourth dimension.
According to research written up in the journal European Radiology Experimental, the risky invasive assessment is the best way to diagnose heart failure. The peak blood flow rate through the heart’s mitral valve is typically measured using echocardiography, an ultrasound examination of nature but there are doubts that this method might not be accurate.
“This new technology is revolutionizing the diagnosis of heart disease patients. However, a 4D flow MRI can take up to 20 minutes to complete, and we are aware that patients dislike lengthy MRI scans, “UEA Ph.D. student Hosamadin Assadi said.
The research team looked into the validity of Kat-ARC, a novel method for scanning the flow in the heart using rapid methods.
“This, according to our research, cuts the scanning time in half and takes about eight minutes. We have also demonstrated how this non-invasive imaging technique can precisely and accurately measure the heart’s peak blood flow velocity, “said Assadi.
The team used 50 patients to test the new technology at two hospitals in Sheffield, UK. Utilising the brand-new Kat-ARC4D heart flow MRI, patients suspected of having heart failure were evaluated.
The research team believes that their work could drastically speed up the diagnosis of heart failure, which would be suitable for patients and hospitals worldwide.
