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Evaluation of sodium T1 relaxation times in human heart
Thomas Pabst1, Joern Sandstede, Meinrad Beer
1Institut für Röntgendiagnostik, Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany. pabst@roentgen.uni-wuerzburg.de
Purpose:
To evaluate the sodium longitudinal relaxation (T(1)) characteristics for myocardium and blood in humans.
Materials And Methods:
Eleven healthy volunteers were examined by using a (23)Na heart surface coil at a 1.5 T clinical scanner equipped with a broadband spectroscopy option. (23)Na MR measurements were performed by using a three-dimensional spoiled gradient echo sequence (in-plane resolution, 3.5 mm x 7 mm; slice thickness, 24 mm; TE, 3.1 msec; bandwidth, 65 Hz/pixel; TR, 21 to 150 msec).
Results:
Longitudinal T(1) relaxation time components were 31.6+/-7.0 msec and 31.1+/-7.5 msec for myocardium and blood, respectively.
Conclusion:
(23)Na T(1) relaxation times of myocardium and blood can be determined in humans. The results are in agreement with values obtained from animal studies.