Quantification of the Mitral Regurgitant Flow Using a Control Volume Method: in Vitro Evaluation Using Ultra-fast Magnetic Resonance Velocimetry

INTRODUCTION Reliable diagnosis of the severity of mitral regurgitation is important for proper patient treatment and management. However, current clinical methods are either qualitative or limited by geometric assumptions. The only technique capable of bypassing these geometric limitations and quantitatively measure mitral regurgitation is velocity encoded magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, also known as phasecontrast MR velocimetry. This technique has been successfully used to quantify aortic regurgitation with a single image slice. However, due to the complex flow field proximal to the mitral regurgitant orifice in the left ventricle (LV) during systole, a single slice is not sufficient to measure the mitral regurgitant volume.