Tuning of pulmonary arterial circulation evidenced by MR phase mapping in healthy volunteers

Magnetic resonance (MR) phase mapping was used to noninvasively assess both blood flow and cross-sectional area (CSA) in the main pulmonary artery (MPA) of 12 healthy volunteers. Flow and CSA patterns exhibited two positive peaks: high systolic and small diastolic. This finding can be explained using a simple "distributed" theoretical model that takes into account the role of a reflected pressure wave from pulmonary vascular impedance in generating a diastolic flow. The mean reflection coefficient of pressure wave, MPA input impedance, and pulmonary vascular impedance were assessed. We verified, in this series, that pressure wave velocity appears to be age-dependent. MR phase mapping has been used to observe the tuning (resonance) of the right cardiovascular system at rest under physiological conditions. MR phase mapping could be used to assess pathological modifications of the tuning that occurs in cases of pulmonary arterial hypertension.