Prediction of the response to CRT with cine MRI for the patients with systemic right ventricular remodeling

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K16729
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 52040:Radiological sciences-related
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Kawakubo Masateru 九州大学, 医学研究院, 助教 (80608985)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: Cardiac MR imaging / cine MRI / right ventricle / myocardial remodeling / deep learning / image processing / myocardial strain / ventricular volume

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to establish the usefulness of systemic circulation right ventricular remodeling analysis using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in predicting CRT effects. We have developed computer image analysis methods to achieve our goals, and have applied these methods to clinical research.
As a result, we have filed a patent application for a method that automatically reconstructs radially long-axis cine MRI from general short-axis images and automatically calculates right ventricular volume and three-dimensional strain. Furthermore, this technology has been packaged as software that operates in a general-purpose computer language, making it widely applicable. A clinical study applying this technology was published in an international journal.

Free Research Field

Medical Image Analysis

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では一般的な短軸像の磁気共鳴画像から、自動的な右心室の画像解析法を開発した。従来、心機能画像解析は左心室に焦点が当てられていたが、近年、右心室も注目されるようになった。本手法は従来の画像検査法を変更する必要のない、高精度な右心室の後解析技術である。また、CTやPETなどの分子イメージングにも応用可能な汎用解析ソフトウェアを構築できたことは、右室疾患のさらなる病態解明や適切な治療介入時期の決定について、多施設研究によるエビデンス蓄積の加速が期待できる。さらに、開発手法の有用性を明らかにした臨床研究は、いずれも国際誌に掲載されており、我が国を中心とした国際共同研究への発展も期待できる。