Reproducibility of peak and time to peak velocity measurements with a high resolution spiral phase velocity mapping (PVM) sequence

Background Myocardial PVM may be used to assess peak velocities and the times to those peaks (TTP) in order to characterise healthy and pathological regional heart motion [1]. However data on the reproducibility of the technique is limited. A previous breathhold (low resolution) study investigated reproducibility for peak radial and circumferential velocities [2]; however that of TTP measurements was not presented. A higher resolution, navigator-gated study showed that MR had better reproducibility than tissue Doppler imaging for peak and TTP velocity measurements, but only longitudinal velocities were considered [3]. All previous studies have used prospective cardiac gating and late diastolic (atrial systole) peak and TTP velocities have not been investigated. This study presents a comprehensive assessment of the reproducibility of myocardial PVM for assessing peak and TTP velocities throughout the entire cardiac cycle.