The primary purpose of the cardiovascular system is to drive, control and maintain blood flow to all parts of the body. Today, cardiovascular diagnostics relies almost exclusively on function estimation based on the morphology of chambers and vessels. Cardiac and vascular wall motion are often deduced from the morphological images, and not measured directly. Flow characteristics are mainly assumed.
The focus of my research group is to develop the next generation of methods for the non-invasive assessment of cardiovascular diseases and therapies by focusing on blood flow dynamics and wall characterization in health and disease.
We aim to develop quantitative techniques for the assessment of blood flow, wall motion and tissue characteristics. The majority of the methods are based on magnetic resonance imaging, which allows for non-invasive measurement of velocity and displacement in all directions and dimensions, as well as quantitative tissue characterization in the human body and many materials. Recently, we have also managed to obtain functional information, as blood flow and myocardial function, from computer tomography data using advanced image processing and simulations. By utilizing the techniques across a range of basic biological science investigations, mechanical devices, and clinical questions, we intend to increase the knowledge about the role of blood flow and wall motion in the cardiovascular system. With this translational research approach, we expect to improve the in-depth understanding and diagnostics of cardiovascular disease and treatment strategies.