Multi-contrast volumetric imaging with isotropic resolution for assessing infarct heterogeneity: Initial clinical...

To evaluate accelerated multi-contrast volumetric imaging with isotropic resolution reconstructed using low-rank and spatially varying edge-preserving constrained compressed sensing parallel imaging reconstruction (CP-LASER), for assessing infarct heterogeneity on post-infarction patients as a precursor to studies of utility for predicting ventricular arrhythmias.

Eleven patients with prior myocardial infarction were included in the study. All subjects underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) scans including conventional two-dimensional late gadolinium enhancement (2D LGE) and three-dimensional multi-contrast late enhancement (3D MCLE) post-contrast. The extent of the infarct core and peri-infarct gray zone of a limited mid-ventricular slab were derived respectively by analyzing MCLE images with an isotropic resolution of 2.2 mm and an anisotropic resolution of $$ mm $$ , and LGE images with a resolution of $$ mm $$ ; the respective measures across all subjects were statistically compared.

Using 3D MCLE, the infarct core size measured with isotropic resolution was similar to that measured with anisotropic resolution, while the peri-infarct gray zone size measured with isotropic resolution was smaller than that measured with anisotropic resolution ( $$ , Cohen's $$ ). Isotropic 3D MCLE yielded a significantly smaller measure of the peri-infarct gray zone size than conventional 2D LGE ( $$ , Cohen's $$ ). Overall, we have successfully shown the utility of isotropic 3D MCLE in a pilot patient study. Our results suggest that smaller voxels lead to more accurate differentiation between isotropic 3D MCLE-derived gray zone and core infarct because of diminished partial volume effect.

The CP-LASER accelerated 3D MCLE with isotropic resolution can be used in patients and yields excellent delineation of infarct and peri-infarct gray zone characteristics.