Energy-minimizing deformable grids for tracking tagged MR cardiac images

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is unique in being able to non-invasively and selectively alter tissue magnetization, and hence create striped grid patterns on the resulting MR images. The authors discuss preliminary results in automated tracking of motion from myocardial tags. To track the motion, energy-minimizing deformable grids are introduced. Deformable grids are energy-minimizing curves which respond to image-derived forces and relax in valleys of an appropriately defined energy landscape. Energy minimization for each grid line is carried out by using the method of dynamic programming. Tracking the valleys of the energy landscape allows for measurement of MR tag deformations due to tissue motion