An in vivo method for measuring vessel wall motion and cyclic strain using magnetic resonance imaging

The measurement of vessel wall motion and cyclic strain has important applications in physiology and disease research, the design of intravascular devices, and cardiovascular treatment planning. However, present methods for measuring wall motion and strain have limitations. We developed a method to measure vessel wall velocity using phase contrast (cinePC) magnetic resonance imaging techniques. These data are then used to calculate the cyclic strain in the wall. This method was evaluated using a pulsatile flow rig with a simulated vessel fabricated from polyvinyl alcohol cryogel. Although further development and validation are required, this method has promise for measuring vessel motion and cyclic strain in vivo