Comprehensive Assessment of Left Atrial Function: The Emerging Role of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Feature Tracking

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Medical Imaging
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Traditional volumetric parameters inadequately assess complex atrial function.
• Atrial strain is a sensitive, non-invasive marker for early myocardial dysfunction detection and risk stratification.
• Cardiovascular magnetic resonance feature tracking (CMR-FT) is a promising technique for atrial strain analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the potential of CMR-FT for evaluating atrial function.
• To identify barriers limiting the clinical adoption of CMR-FT atrial strain.
• To emphasize the need for overcoming these barriers for routine clinical integration.

Main Methods:

• Utilized cardiovascular magnetic resonance feature tracking (CMR-FT) for atrial strain assessment.
• Evaluated the technique's high spatial resolution, reproducibility, and independence from acoustic windows.
• Identified key challenges including intervendor variability, lack of standardized protocols, and lengthy acquisition/processing times.

Main Results:

• CMR-FT provides a robust method for assessing atrial strain.
• Significant barriers hinder the routine clinical implementation of CMR-FT atrial strain.
• These barriers include variability in strain values, absence of standardized protocols, and time-intensive analysis.

Conclusions:

• Atrial strain via CMR-FT is a valuable tool for cardiovascular disease assessment.
• Addressing intervendor variability, standardizing protocols, and optimizing processing are crucial for clinical adoption.
• Integration into routine CMR protocols will enhance patient management, especially in heart failure and valvular disease.