Cardiovascular Imaging

Research Topics

The aim of our research is to improve and to develop imaging strategies for the large area of cardiovascular diseases. The special focus of our group lies on 4D Flow MRI and myocardial parametric imaging (T1- / T2-mapping). In addition, we work on improving CT imaging of coronary stents using novel reconstruction algorithms.

Prof. Dr.--Bunck-Alexander
Prof. Dr. Alexander Bunck, EBIR

Cardiovascular Imaging

Klinischer Schwerpunkt: Kardiovaskuläre Bildgebung, Interventionelle Radiologie

Facilities

The Department of Radiology currently operates 8 Philips MRI systems and 4 Philips CT systems.

Volunteer studies

As part of our research projects, we are looking for healthy subjects agreeing to volunteer for an examination.

Grant support

Hans und Gertie Fischer-Stiftung Gusyk-Stelle (University of Cologne)

Current Projects

Quantification of flow and turbulent kinetic energy in the heart and thoracic vessels in patients before and after TAVI / Mitraclip using 4D Flow MRI.
4D Flow MRI and vorticity-mapping in patients with diastolic dysfunction, pulmonary hypertension and aortic insuffciency.
Systematic evaluation of different cardiac T2-mapping sequences at 1.5 and 3.0T.
Diagnostic implications of T2-mapping and feature tracking-based strain analysis in acute myocarditis.
Use of native T1- and T2-mapping, speckle tracking and feature tracking for detecting cardiotoxic side effects of chemotherapy. Iterative model reconstructions for coronary artery stent imaging with computed tomography.

Collaborations
Selected publications

All publications:

Bunck, Baessler, Doerner, Hedderich, Hickethier, Houbois, Kabbasch, Kroeger

Heermann P, Hedderich DM, Paul M, Schülke C, Kroeger J, Baeßler B, Wichter T, Maintz D, Waltenberger J, Heindel W, Bunck AC. Biventricular myocardial strain analysis in patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) using cardiovascular magnetic resonance feature tracking. Journal of cardiovascular magnetic resonance. 2014;16:75

AC Bunck, A Jüttner, JR Kröger, MC Burg, H Kugel, T Niederstadt, K Tiemann, B Schnackenburg, GR Crelier, W Heindel, D Maintz. 4D phase contrast flow imaging for in-stent flow visualization and assessment of stent patency in peripheral vascular stents--a phantom study. Eur J Radiol, 81(9), 2012

AC Bunck, JR Kröger, A Juettner, A Brentrup, B Fiedler, GR Crelier, BA Martin, W Heindel, D Maintz, W Schwindt, T Niederstadt. Magnetic resonance 4D flow analysis of cerebrospinal fluid dynamics in Chiari I malformation with and without syringomyelia. Eur Radiol. 22(9), 2012

AC Bunck, JR Kröger, A Juettner, A Brentrup, B Fiedler, B Schaarschmidt, GR Crelier, W Schwindt, W Heindel, T Niederstadt, D Maintz. Magnetic resonance 4D flow characteristics of cerebrospinal fluid at the craniocervical junction and the cervical spinal canal. Eur Radiol. 21(8), 2011

AC Bunck, MA Engelen, B Schnackenburg, J Furkert, C Bremer, W Heindel, J Stypmann, D Maintz.

Feasibility of functional cardiac MR imaging in mice using a clinical 3 Tesla whole body scanner.

Invest Radiol. 44(12), 2009

Group members

Anastasia Dick, Medical Student (MD candidate)
Jonas Doerner, MD
Dennis Hedderich, MD
Priv.-Doz. Dr. Christian Houbois, MD
Prof. Dr. Christoph Kabbasch, MD
Jochen von Spiczak, Medical Student (MD candidate), MRI Physics Group