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Updated: Jun 22, 2026

In Vivo Quantitative Assessment of Myocardial Structure, Function, Perfusion and Viability Using Cardiac Micro-computed Tomography
08:13

In Vivo Quantitative Assessment of Myocardial Structure, Function, Perfusion and Viability Using Cardiac Micro-computed Tomography

Published on: February 16, 2016

Quantification of enhancement of left ventricular myocardium in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy using delayed

Eijun Sueyoshi1, Ichiro Sakamoto, Takeshi Hayashida

  • 1Department of Radiology, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Nagasaki 852-8501, Japan. EijunSueyoshi@aol.com

Computerized Medical Imaging and Graphics : the Official Journal of the Computerized Medical Imaging Society
|June 24, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Delayed enhancement (DE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reveals higher contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) patients, suggesting fibrosis. This CNR measurement correlates with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), aiding DCM diagnosis.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Imaging
  • Radiology
  • Cardiac MRI

Background:

  • Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a significant cause of heart failure.
  • Assessing myocardial fibrosis and contractile function is crucial for DCM diagnosis and management.
  • Delayed enhancement (DE) cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is a key technique for visualizing myocardial tissue characterization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate delayed enhancement (DE) in the myocardium of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) compared to control subjects.
  • To assess the interrelationships between DE and left ventricular (LV) contractile function in DCM patients.

Main Methods:

  • DE CMR imaging was performed on 42 DCM patients and 14 controls.
  • A two-dimensional segmented inversion-recovery prepared gradient-echo sequence was used 15 minutes after gadolinium administration.
  • Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the LV myocardium were calculated, along with averaged values (aSNR, aCNR).

Main Results:

  • Mean aSNR did not differ significantly between groups.
  • Mean aCNR was significantly higher in the DCM group (3.5±3.1) versus controls (-4.1±2.1).
  • In DCM patients, aCNR showed a moderate correlation with LV ejection fraction (LVEF) (r=0.52, P<.0001), with higher aCNR in those with low LVEF (<25%).

Conclusions:

  • DE CMR imaging demonstrates a high aCNR in the LV myocardium of DCM patients, indicative of potential fibrosis.
  • Quantification of aCNR is objective and valuable for diagnosing DCM.
  • The level of aCNR correlates with LV contractile function, specifically LVEF.

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