Non-invasive Assessment of Left Ventricular Hemodynamic Forces in Mitral Patients using 4-Dimensional Flow Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Motivation: This study aims to address shortcomings in assessing mitral regurgitation (MR) by introducing left ventricular hemodynamic force (HDF) as a novel biomarker. Goal(s): The primary objective of this study is to assess HDF's reliability through 4D flow MRI in distinguishing MR patients from healthy controls and stratifying severity, offering a more precise diagnostic tool. Approach: This retrospective analysis used 4D flow MRI data to compute HDF in three directions, evaluating its correlation with MR. Results: MR patients exhibit significantly altered HDF compared to controls. The HDF: peak systolic base-apex, E-wave inferior-anterior, E-wave base-apex, and peak diastolic septal-lateral suggest their potential as mitral biomarkers. Impact: The introduction of hemodynamic force as a novel biomarker opens new research avenues, potentially reshaping cardiac non-invasive diagnostic techniques. This study may transform the assessment of mitral regurgitation, offering benefits to clinicians for early intervention and proper patient management.