This project involves the development of an easy to use, computer graphics based software package which will allow users to fully analyze regional wall motion in the left ventricle in three dimensions. The input data for this package will be obtained from magnetic resonance images (MRI) of patients' hearts taken at end-diastole and end-systole. Image data will be transferred to inexpensive, but powerful, computer graphics workstations for analysis. Software on the workstation will reconstruct a single three dimensional structure from each of the two series of two dimensional MRI's. Users will be able to visualize and manipulate this three dimensional image of the ventricular shape. This image will be drawn on the color monitor screen highly realistically using computer graphics techniques. The software package will calculate ventricular volumes at end-diastole and at end-systole, overall or segmental ejection fractions, and will perform both quantitative and semi-quantitative analyses of wall motion in all regions of the ventricle. Users will be able to produce hard copy plots of the results of wall motion analysis and will be able to view the results semi-quantitatively in a variety of forms which they can select and control. The use of magnetic resonance imaging makes this technique much safer than invasive techniques of wall motion analysis which involve injection of radiopaque dyes. The three dimensional nature of the analysis and the ability to choose from several different display modes for results will provide cardiologists with a highly flexible and accurate tool with which to study ventricular action and the effects and location of coronary artery disease. Because it will be based on relatively inexpensive computers, it will be easy to use, and will use data which can be obtained safely and non-invasively, this package will allow wall motion analysis to be done locally in the offices of cardiologists or in imaging centers, thus making regional ventricular wall motion analysis much more accessible than it has been in the past.
