Figure 1

Composite visualization using both Volume Tracking and particle tracing. Combined particle tracing and Volume Tracking visualization of LV filling in volunteer 7. See Additional File 2: VT-PT-Combination.mpg for an animated version. In each image, an anatomical 4-chamber Cine image is shown for orientation. The 4-chamber image is transparent to show flow behind the plane. Time is counted from the start of systole. Panel A shows the heart at the start of diastole. A Volume Tracking plane is visible near the mitral valve, and a collection of particles is located above the plane. Particles are released in this position every 20 milliseconds during LV filling. Panel B shows the early filling wave. The Volume Tracking surface shows the inflowing blood volume. Particles have been released in the atrium and have flowed into the ventricle. The particles are visible through the transparent Volume Tracking surface. Panel C shows the flow in early diastasis. The Volume Tracking surface shows how the blood has flowed further into the ventricle. The particles have also moved further into the ventricle. Note that the particles are released on the basal side of the Volume Tracking plane. This means that all particles belong to the blood flowing into the ventricle. Since the Volume Tracking surface shows the inflowing blood, the particles should stay on the inflow side of the surface if the methods agree. Panels B and C show that very few particles have passed through the surface. This shows the correspondence between Volume Tracking and particle tracing, and that the theory and implementation of Volume Tracking are reliable. LV = left ventricle, RV = right ventricle, LA = left atrium, RA = right atrium, MV = mitral valve, dashed line = approximate location of mitral valve, color = velocity from 0 (blue) to 1 m/s (red).