PURPOSE: To evaluate diagnostic image quality of 3D late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) with high isotropic spatial resolution (∼1.4 mm(3) ) images reconstructed from randomly undersampled k-space using LOw-dimensional-structure Self-learning and Thresholding (LOST). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively enrolled 270 patients (181 men; 55 ± 14 years) referred for myocardial viability assessment. 3D LGE with isotropic spatial resolution of 1.4 ± 0.1 mm(3) was acquired at 1.5T using a LOST acceleration rate of 3 to 5. In a subset of 121 patients, 3D LGE or phase-sensitive LGE were acquired with parallel imaging with an acceleration rate of 2 for comparison. Two readers evaluated image quality using a scale of 1 (poor) to 4 (excellent) and assessed for scar presence. The McNemar test statistic was used to compare the proportion of detected scar between the two sequences. We assessed the association between image quality and characteristics (age, gender, torso dimension, weight, heart rate), using generalized linear models. RESULTS: Overall, LGE detection proportions for 3D LGE with LOST were similar between readers 1 and 2 (16.30% vs. 18.15%). For image quality, readers gave 85.9% and 80.0%, respectively, for images categorized as good or excellent. Overall proportion of scar presence was not statistically different from conventional 3D LGE (28% vs. 33% [P = 0.17] for reader 1 and 26% vs. 31% [P = 0.37] for reader 2). Increasing subject heart rate was associated with lower image quality (estimated slope = -0.009 (P = 0.001)). CONCLUSION: High-resolution 3D LGE with LOST yields good to excellent image quality in >80% of patients and identifies patients with LV scar at the same rate as conventional 3D LGE. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2017.
PURPOSE: To compare remote myocardium native T1 in patients with chronic myocardial infarction (MI) and controls without MI and to elucidate the relationship of infarct size and native T1 in the remote myocardium for the prediction of left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction after MI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 41 chronic MI (18 anterior MI) patients and 15 age-matched volunteers with normal LV systolic function and no history of MI underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 1.5T. Native T1 map was performed using a slice interleaved T1 mapping and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) imaging. Cine MR was acquired to assess LV function and mass. RESULTS: The remote myocardium native T1 time was significantly elevated in patients with prior MI, compared to controls, for both anterior MI and nonanterior MI (anterior MI: 1099 ± 30, nonanterior MI: 1097 ± 39, controls: 1068 ± 25 msec, P < 0.05). Remote myocardium native T1 moderately correlated with LV volume, mass index, and ejection fraction (r = 0.38, 0.50, -0.49, respectively, all P < 0.05). LGE infarct size had a moderate correlation with reduced LV ejection fraction (r = -0.33, P < 0.05), but there was no significant association between native T1 and infarct size. Native T1 time in the remote myocardium was independently associated with reduced LV ejection fraction, after adjusting for age, gender, infarct size, and comorbidity (β = -0.34, P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: In chronic MI, the severity of LV systolic dysfunction after MI is independently associated with native T1 in the remote myocardium. Diffuse myocardial fibrosis in the remote myocardium may play an important pathophysiological role of post-MI LV dysfunction. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2017.
OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the association of diffuse myocardial fibrosis by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) T1 with complex ventricular arrhythmia (ComVA) in mitral valve prolapse (MVP). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 41 consecutive patients with MVP referred for CMR between 2006 and 2011, and 31 healthy controls. Arrhythmia analysis was available in 23 patients with MVP with Holter/event monitors. Left ventricular (LV) septal T1 times were derived from Look-Locker sequences after administration of 0.2 mmol/kg gadopentetate dimeglumine. Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) CMR images were available for all subjects. RESULTS: Patients with MVP had significantly shorter postcontrast T1 times when compared with controls (334±52 vs 363±58 ms; p=0.03) despite similar LV ejection fraction (LVEF) (63±7 vs 60±6%, p=0.10). In a multivariable analysis, LV end-diastolic volume, LVEF and mitral regurgitation fraction were all correlates of T1 times, with LVEF and LV end-diastolic volume being the strongest (p=0.005, p=0.008 and p=0.045, respectively; model adjusted R(2)=0.30). Patients with MVP with ComVA had significantly shorter postcontrast T1 times when compared with patients with MVP without ComVA (324 (296, 348) vs 354 (327, 376) ms; p=0.03) and only 5/14 (36%) had evidence of papillary muscle LGE. CONCLUSIONS: MVP may be associated with diffuse LV myocardial fibrosis as suggested by reduced postcontrast T1 times. Diffuse interstitial derangement is linked to subclinical systolic dysfunction, and may contribute to ComVA in MVP-related mitral regurgitation, even in the absence of focal fibrosis.
