A Novel, Fast and Semi-Automatic Method to Implement Wave Intensity Analysis for Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Wave intensity analysis (WIA) is a time domain analysis [1] and, as a hemodynamic index, it can assess the performance of the heart and its interaction with the arterial system [2]. This quantity was originally defined as the product of the instantaneous changes in measured pressure (ΔP) and simultaneously measured velocity (ΔU). Clinical applications of WIA have previously been investigated but have been limited by the invasive nature of P and U measurements. Recently, a new formulation of wave intensity has been proposed, using a measure of changes in diameter (ΔD) instead of ΔP [3]. Two recent studies have tested this formulation by analysing retrospectively magnetic resonance (MR) images [4] and ultrasonography data [5].