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Updated: Aug 11, 2026
Magnetic Resonance Derived Myocardial Strain Assessment Using Feature Tracking
Published on: February 13, 2011
Quantitative assessment of regional myocardial function with MR-tagging in a multi-center study: interobserver and
Ernesto Castillo1, Nael F Osman, Boaz D Rosen
1The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, USA.
Purpose:
To assess the reproducibility of Harmonic Phase (HARP) analysis of myocardial MR tagged images acquired in the Multi-Center Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).
Methods:
Using the HARP method, three independent observers performed two separate quantitative strain analyses of myocardial cine MR-tagging images blindly in 24 participants. The images were obtained in four different centers and analyzed at a single core lab. Each study comprised 3 short-axis slices subdivided in 12 segments (24 x 3 x 12 = 864 segments), each with three layers. Normal strains (circumferential [Ecc] and radial [Err]), principal strains (Lambda1, Lambda2), and the angle alpha (between Ecc-Lambda2) were calculated. Intraclass correlation coefficient (R) for peak systolic strains, and all pooled systolic and diastolic strain data were used to determine inter- and intraobserver agreement. Two observers also visually graded study quality. R values were related to the image quality in different myocardial regions and layers.
Results:
Overall, HARP yielded an excellent inter- and intraobserver agreement for peak systolic strain data (for Ecc, R = 0.84 and 0.89, respectively) and all systolic pooled data (for Ecc, interobserver R = 0.82, intraobserver R = 0.69-0.76). Both inter and intraobserver agreement were lower for diastolic pooled data (R = 0.69 and 0.58-0.62, respectively). There was a direct relationship between image quality and performance of the HARP analysis, with increasing inter- and intraobserver R values in studies with longer tag persistence. Both inter- and intraobserver agreement were better in the anterior and septal myocardial regions, and in the midwall layer. The intraobserver agreement was similar among the three observers.
Conclusion:
Employing the HARP method for quantitative strain analysis of myocardial MR tagged images provides a high inter- and intraobserver agreement. These good results are obtained in case of good to excellent MR image quality.
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