Factorial phase imaging: a new concept in the analysis of first-pass cardiac studies.

A method is described which offers an alternative to conventional Fourier phase/amplitude imaging for analysing representative LV cycles obtained from first-pass cardiac studies. The method involves applying factor analysis to the data and producing functional images of the first two factor loadings after polar transformation. The method corrects for cycle asymmetries which produce anomalies in the Fourier images. For 88 studies the method provides greater uniformity among normal phase images while retaining, or even enhancing, abnormalities. Small differences between amplitude images produced by the two methods do not appear to be important.