Assessment of coronary flow reserve with fast cine phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging: comparison with measurement by Doppler guide wire.

Fast cine phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging (fast cine phase contrast MRI) can measure phasic coronary flow velocity in humans. The purpose of this study was to compare the coronary flow velocity reserves measured by MR IMAGING with those obtained by Doppler guide wire. Nineteen patients with ischemic or valvular heart disease were studied. Fast cine phase contrast MR images of the left anterior descending (LAD) artery were acquired during breath-hold time in the basal state and after administration of dipyridamole. Flow velocity in the LAD artery was also measured with Doppler guide wire before and after venous injection of dipyridamole in all subjects. Flow velocity in the coronary artery measured with MR IMAGING in the basal state (12.5 +/- 4.9 cm/sec) was significantly lower than that obtained with Doppler guide wire (32.4 +/- 12.1 cm/sec, P < 0.01). However, MR assessments of coronary flow velocity reserve showed a good linear correlation with those measured by Doppler guide wire (r = 0.91). In conclusion, fast cine phase contrast MR imaging is a useful technique, which can provide a noninvasive assessment of flow reserve ratios in patients with coronary artery disease. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 1999;10:563-568.