Overview:

Imaging methods provide potentially powerful means to assess cardiovascular and tissue mechanics, and have been the subject of much ongoing research.

This workshop will focus on three areas of application:
1) the use of MRI for measurement of fluid flow, a relatively mature but still evolving area;
2) the use of MRI methods to evaluate cardiac function and its relationship to more conventional imaging approaches; and
3) the use of MRI “elastography” approaches to characterize tissue mechanical properties.

The goal of the workshop is to provide:
1) overview talks to present a survey of the current state of the art in these fields for trainees and researchers becoming involved in them;
2) a forum for the presentation and discussion of the results of ongoing research in these areas;
3) an opportunity for leaders in these fields to meet to discuss issues related to standardization of approaches to image acquisition, analysis, and display of the results; and
4) a forum for interaction between technically and clinically oriented investigators in this area.
 

Educational Objectives:
 

Upon completion of this workshop, attendees should be able to:

- Describe methods used to acquire and analyze flow data with MRI;
- Compare methods used to acquire and analyze cardiac motion data with MRI;
- Describe methods used to acquire and analyze tissue elastic properties data with MRI;
- Discuss clinical applications of flow studies with MRI;
- Describe new findings from cardiac motion studies with MRI;  and
- Compare the relative advantages and disadvantages of the use of different modalities to evaluate cardiac motion.

Audience Description:

This workshop is designed for.
- MR engineers or physicists, bioengineers, physiologists, radiologists, cardiologists;
- Medical, biological and industrial researchers with an interest in noninvasive studies of flow and motion;
- Experienced researchers seeking to learn about the current state of the field, and actively engaged in research in this or related fields.
- Less experienced researchers seeking to understand the capabilities and limitations of MRI methods, and those considering getting involved,
  such as clinicians considering use of these techniques in their practices.