Phase contrast MRI: Development of a user-friendly platform for fast-automated segmentation and fluid-dynamic post-processing

4D flow MRI is an established technique able to deepen the complex fluid-dynamic phenomena induced by different cardiovascular pathologies. This technique may play a key role in identifying sound fluid-dynamic markers for a prompt identification of cardiovascular pathologies. However, 4D flow is not currently used in clinical practice due to its laborious post-processing. The present work aims at developing a dedicated platform to provide a comprehensive and user-friendly tool for 4D flow data analysis, including semi-automated segmentation, and qualitative and quantitative fluid-dynamic analyses. Segmented aortic lumen contours showed good agreement with manual tracings, by DICE, linear correlation and Bland-Altman. Preliminary analysis of 5 patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) pointed out the significant impact of BAV alterations on ascending aorta fluid dynamics. The developed tool, at the best of our knowledge, represents the first release of a comprehensive analysis framework able to promote a larger clinical applicability of the 4D flow technique.