Promising four-dimensional flow magnetic resonance imaging technique for vascular flow analysis in children.

Leesmidt et al present a comprehensive analysis of abdominal vascular flow in children using four-dimensional (4D) flow magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), aim to establish normal hemodynamic values for the abdominal visceral organs and to assess the feasibility of 4D flow MRI (4D-f-MRI) in this population. The researchers performed 4D-f-MRI on 9 pediatric patients with a history or suspicion of bowel pathology. Flow velocities were measured in the abdominal aorta and superior and inferior mesenteric arteries. The quality of the 4D-f-MRI images was evaluated, and the agreement between the measured flow velocities and those obtained from Duplex ultrasound was established. However, due to the specific limitations of this work, future studies should address the issues of small sample size and the specific age group design.