Accelerated late gadolinium enhancement cardiac MR imaging with isotropic spatial resolution using compressed...

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Medical Imaging Techniques
• Scar Assessment

Background:

• Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) MRI is crucial for assessing myocardial scar.
• Standard LGE protocols can be time-consuming and may lack optimal spatial resolution.
• Improving scar visualization in the left atrium (LA) and left ventricle (LV) is clinically important.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of low-dimensional-structure self-learning and thresholding (LOST) compressed sensing for LGE MRI.
• To assess scar in the LA and LV using LOST with isotropic spatial resolution.
• To compare LOST-accelerated LGE with standard LGE protocols.

Main Methods:

• Acquired threefold accelerated 3D LGE data with isotropic spatial resolution using LOST.
• Reconstructed LGE data off-line using the LOST algorithm.
• Compared isotropic LOST LGE images with standard nonisotropic LGE images qualitatively.

Main Results:

• Interpretable images were obtained in 93% of LA LGE studies and 100% of LV LGE studies.
• LOST-acquired isotropic images showed significantly higher diagnostic quality scores in coronal and sagittal views for LA scar assessment.
• High-isotropic-resolution LV images demonstrated superior diagnostic quality compared to nonisotropic images.

Conclusions:

• Accelerated LGE acquisition with LOST facilitates high isotropic spatial resolution imaging.
• LOST enables improved assessment of scar in the LV, LA, and pulmonary veins.
• This technique offers a promising approach for enhanced cardiovascular scar evaluation.