# 4D Virtual Catheter (vCath) Assessment of Hemodynamic Pathways in Aortopathy Pathogenesis

> **NIH NIH R21** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $118,500

## Abstract

SUMMARY / ABSTRACT
Aortic Valve Disease can result in multi-factorial complications including alerted post-valvular 3D blood flow
patterns and severe secondary aortopathy (aortic dilatation, aneurysm, and dissection). The current standard-
of-care, however, assesses aortic valve disease severity and thus therapy management (surgery vs.
conservative management) based on simplified measurements local to the valve. Paradoxically, it is well
known that similarly classified aortic valve disease patients, exhibit radically divergent clinical presentations
and outcomes. Evidence-based imaging biomarkers beyond aortic diameter capable of risk stratification are
thus urgently needed.
4D flow studies have shown that the aortic valve disease phenotype has a strong effect on changes in aortic
hemodynamics. Over the past years, we have assembled one of the largest aortic 4D MRI databases
worldwide with over 1300 patient exams in patients with aortic valve disease (among these: >880 BAV, >420
with TAV). Also, we have established a large healthy aging cohort across a broad range of ages (n=189
controls free of cardiovascular disease, 20-40 per age decade: 20-30, 31-40, 41-50, 51-60, 61-70 years) and
well distributed between genders (83 male, 106 female). However, 4D flow analysis across large cohorts has
been hindered by large data sets (4000-6000 images per patient), cumbersome manual analysis limiting
reducibility, and lack of exploitation of the comprehensive hemodynamic information (3D + time + 3-direction
flow). To address these limitations, we have recently developed a novel non-invasive 4D virtual Catheter
(vCath) technique that uses mathematical modeling to mimic the well-established invasive catheter in
quantifying hemodynamics. 4D vCath utilizes the full 4D flow MRI information for flexible quantification of aortic
3D hemodynamic with high degree of automation. An advantage of the 4D vCath concept over existing
analysis methods is rated to its intrinsic ability to simultaneously probe different basic (flow, peak velocity) and
advanced (kinetic energy KE, viscous energy loss EL, vorticity) hemodynamic factors along the entire thoracic
aorta. Our large cohort coupled with comprehensive 4D vCath analysis enables a unique opportunity to
conduct a well-powered retrospective study to identify hemodynamic factors associated with aortopathy
development.
This project will develop new multi-parametric hemodynamic-based aortopathy risk factors, which will provide
novel insights into aortopathy disease mechanisms and inform subsequent longitudinal outcome studies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9879940
- **Project number:** 1R21HL150498-01
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Mohammed Elbaz
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $118,500
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-02-01 → 2022-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9879940

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9879940, 4D Virtual Catheter (vCath) Assessment of Hemodynamic Pathways in Aortopathy Pathogenesis (1R21HL150498-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9879940. Licensed CC0.

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