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Updated: Aug 29, 2026
Quantification of Mouse Heart Left Ventricular Function, Myocardial Strain, and Hemodynamic Forces by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Published on: May 24, 2021
Accurate quantification of right ventricular mass at MR imaging by using cine true fast imaging with steady-state
Stephanie M Shors1, Carina W Fung, Christopher J François
1Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Ill, USA.
Purpose:
To assess the accuracy of cine magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with a segmented true fast imaging with steady-state precession (FISP) technique for right ventricular (RV) mass quantification.
Materials And Methods:
Fourteen dogs were imaged with a 1.5-T clinical MR imaging unit by using an electrocardiographically gated true FISP sequence. Contiguous segmented k-space cine images were acquired from the base of the RV to the apex during suspended respiration (repetition time msec/echo time msec, 3.2/1.6; section thickness, 5 mm; in-plane resolution, 1.0 x 1.3 mm2). After imaging, each dog was sacrificed, and the RV free wall was isolated and weighed. Each MR imaging data set was analyzed twice by each of two independent observers who were blinded to the results of RV mass measurement at autopsy, and the mass measurements at MR imaging were compared with the autopsy results by using linear regression and Bland-Altman analysis.
Results:
RV mass measurements calculated by using the true FISP cine MR images were nearly identical to those at autopsy (R = 0.82, standard error of the estimate = 1.7 g, P >.05), with a mean difference between the autopsy and MR imaging measurements of 0.3 g +/- 1.7 (1.9% +/- 8.2) (P >.05). Inter- and intraobserver variations were small, with a mean interobserver variability of -0.1 g +/- 2.3 and a mean intraobserver variability of 0.2 g +/- 1.6 at every-section analysis.
Conclusion:
In this animal model, true FISP cine MR imaging enabled accurate quantification of RV mass.
Insights
True fast imaging with steady-state precession (FISP) cine MRI accurately quantifies right ventricular (RV) mass in dogs. This imaging technique shows high accuracy and minimal observer variability for RV mass measurement.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Imaging
- Medical Physics
Background:
- Accurate quantification of right ventricular (RV) mass is crucial for diagnosing and managing cardiovascular diseases.
- Traditional methods for RV mass measurement can be invasive or lack precision.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the accuracy of segmented true fast imaging with steady-state precession (FISP) cine magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for quantifying right ventricular (RV) mass.
- To compare MR-derived RV mass measurements with autopsy results in an animal model.
Main Methods:
- Fourteen dogs underwent 1.5-T clinical MR imaging using an electrocardiographically gated true FISP sequence.
- Contiguous segmented cine images were acquired from the RV base to apex.
- RV free wall mass was determined post-mortem and compared to MR imaging measurements using linear regression and Bland-Altman analysis.
Main Results:
- True FISP cine MR imaging demonstrated high accuracy in RV mass quantification, with measurements nearly identical to autopsy results (R = 0.82).
- The mean difference between autopsy and MR imaging measurements was minimal (0.3 g +/- 1.7 g), representing a 1.9% +/- 8.2% difference.
- Inter- and intraobserver variability for RV mass measurements were small, indicating good reproducibility.
Conclusions:
- Segmented true FISP cine MR imaging is an accurate method for quantifying right ventricular (RV) mass in an animal model.
- This non-invasive MR technique shows potential for clinical application in assessing RV mass.
