A novel method, called a posteriori “VFM accuracy estimation” (VAE), for resolving an intrinsic VFM problem is proposed. The problem is that VFM uncertainty can easily vary according to blood flows through an echocardiographic imaged plane (i.e., “through-plane” flows), and it is unknown. Knowing the VFM uncertainty for each patient will make it possible to refine the quality of VFM-based diagnosis. In the present study, VAE was derived on the basis of an error-propagation analysis and a statistical analysis. The accuracy of VAE with a pulsatile left-ventricle phantom was experimentally investigated for realistic cases with through-plane flows. VAE was validated by comparing VFM uncertainty (S.D.) estimated by VAE with VFM uncertainty measured by particle-image velocimetry (PIV) for different imaged planes. VAE accurately estimated the S.D. of VFM uncertainty measured by PIV for all cases with different image planes (R > 0.6 and p < 0.001). These findings on VFM accuracy will provide the basis for widespread clinical application of VFM-based diagnosis.Graphical Abstract

中文翻译：

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超声矢量流映射 (VFM) 的后验精度估计

提出了一种新方法，称为后验“VFM 精度估计”（VAE），用于解决内在 VFM 问题。问题是 VFM 不确定性很容易根据通过超声心动图成像平面的血流（即“通过平面”流）而变化，并且它是未知的。了解每位患者的 VFM 不确定性将使改进基于 VFM 的诊断质量成为可能。在本研究中，VAE 是基于误差传播分析和统计分析得出的。对具有通过平面流动的实际情况，通过实验研究了具有搏动左心室体模的 VAE 的准确性。通过比较 VAE 估计的 VFM 不确定性 (SD) 与不同成像平面的粒子图像测速 (PIV) 测量的 VFM 不确定性来验证 VAE。VAE 准确估计了 SD 对于具有不同图像平面的所有情况，由 PIV 测量的 VFM 不确定性（R > 0.6 和 p < 0.001）。这些关于 VFM 准确性的发现将为基于 VFM 的诊断的广泛临床应用提供基础。