New imaging technique shows promise in diagnosing heart condition

US researchers have demonstrated the potential benefits of a new imaging technique in diagnosing a common heart problem.

The Northwestern Medicine team have found a hitherto unknown link between bicuspid aortic valve, a common congenital heart abnormality, and blood flow changes in the heart.

It was found that blood flow changes were driven by specific types of abnormal aortic valves, allowing them to directly associate blood flow patterns with aortic diseases. As such, 4D flow magnetic resonance imaging that can determine patient-specific changes in blood flow could aid understanding of which regional areas of the aorta are most prone to developing disease.

Senior author Michael Markl, associate professor of radiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said: "We hope that this imaging technique will facilitate early identification of high-risk blood flow patterns associated with progressive aortic enlargement, improving the allocation of healthcare resources in caring for patients with this prevalent condition."

A bicuspid aortic valve occurs when the aortic valve has only two flaps to allow blood through instead of the usual three, and is the most common type of congenital aortic valve disease. It affects around one in 50 people in the UK.