Human myocardium: single-breath-hold MR T1 mapping with high spatial resolution--reproducibility study

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Imaging
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Cardiac Physiology

Background:

• Accurate assessment of myocardial tissue characteristics is crucial for diagnosing and monitoring cardiovascular diseases.
• T1 mapping provides quantitative insights into myocardial tissue properties, but its reproducibility and normal ranges need establishment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish the normal range and reproducibility of myocardial T1 values using high-resolution, single-breath-hold T1 mapping.
• To assess the reliability of this technique for quantitative myocardial assessment.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 15 healthy volunteers using a 1.5-T MR system.
• Acquisition of baseline and contrast-enhanced modified Look-Locker inversion recovery (MOLLI) imaging.
• Evaluation of image quality, myocardial T1 values, and intra-/interobserver agreement across multiple imaging sessions.

Main Results:

• Myocardial T1 maps were generated rapidly and reproducibly.
• A normal range for baseline myocardial T1 was established (mean 980 msec ± 53 SD).
• The technique demonstrated good reproducibility and potential for quantifying myocardial tissue changes.

Conclusions:

• Single-breath-hold T1 mapping is a reproducible technique for assessing myocardial T1 values.
• Established normal ranges provide a reference for clinical interpretation.
• This method holds promise for the quantitative evaluation of ischemic and inflammatory myocardial diseases.