PNNL

Abstract

Abstract A precise knowledge of the microstructures of the myocardium such as myocyte organization and myofiber orientation is necessary to better under-stand its material and functional properties of the tissue. By characterizing the dif-fusion of water exerted by the molecular environment, magnetic resonance diffu-sion tensor imaging has emerged as a viable alternative to conventional histology for mapping tissue fibers, and offers advantages of being nondestructive, relatively convenient, and inherently 3D. This chapter presents a non-technical treatise of the principles, validation, applications, and potential directions for future devel-opment of the imaging modality for characterizing structures of the myocardium.