Visualisation of dog myocardial structure from diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging: The paradox of uniformity and variability

Abstract

It has been assumed that myocardial structure is uniform amongst individuals of a species, and between higher mammalian species. However, recent studies show that myolaminar structure, a critical component in myocardial function, varies markedly between dogs. Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI) data from 12 canine hearts is visualised and described qualitatively and quantitatively. Large confluent zones of primarily positive or negative sheet angles intersect at approximately 90°. The location of these stacks and their zones of intersection differ between dog hearts, but their overall morphology is consistent. As such there is no single model of adult canine heart structure; rather cardiac form belongs to a constrained distribution between extremes of structure. This variation must be considered in the construction of averaged anatomical atlases of myocardial architecture, where a range of maps may be required. These could be produced from DT-MRI datasets grouped by myolaminar structure. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.