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Cardiac chamber quantification using magnetic resonance imaging at 7 Tesla—a pilot study

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Abstract

Objectives

Interest in cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) at 7 T is motivated by the expected increase in spatial and temporal resolution, but the method is technically challenging. We examined the feasibility of cardiac chamber quantification at 7 T.

Methods

A stack of short axes covering the left ventricle was obtained in nine healthy male volunteers. At 1.5 T, steady-state free precession (SSFP) and fast gradient echo (FGRE) cine imaging with 7 mm slice thickness (STH) were used. At 7 T, FGRE with 7 mm and 4 mm STH were applied. End-diastolic volume, end-systolic volume, ejection fraction and mass were calculated.

Results

All 7 T examinations provided excellent blood/myocardium contrast for all slice directions. No significant difference was found regarding ejection fraction and cardiac volumes between SSFP at 1.5 T and FGRE at 7 T, while volumes obtained from FGRE at 1.5 T were underestimated. Cardiac mass derived from FGRE at 1.5 and 7 T was larger than obtained from SSFP at 1.5 T. Agreement of volumes and mass between SSFP at 1.5 T and FGRE improved for FGRE at 7 T when combined with an STH reduction to 4 mm.

Conclusions

This pilot study demonstrates that cardiac chamber quantification at 7 T using FGRE is feasible and agrees closely with SSFP at 1.5 T.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiology and Nephrology, HELIOS Klinikum Berlin-Buch, Schwanebecker Chaussee 50, 13125, Berlin, Germany

    Florian von Knobelsdorff-Brenkenhoff, Kerstin Kretschel & Jeanette Schulz-Menger

  2. Experimental and Clinical Research Center (ECRC), Working Group on Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, Medical University Berlin, Charité Campus Buch, Lindenberger Weg 80, 13125, Berlin, Germany

    Florian von Knobelsdorff-Brenkenhoff, Marcel Prothmann, Matthias A. Dieringer, Kerstin Kretschel, Thoralf Niendorf & Jeanette Schulz-Menger

  3. Berlin Ultrahigh Field Facility, Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert-Roessle-Str. 10, 13125, Berlin, Germany

    Florian von Knobelsdorff-Brenkenhoff, Tobias Frauenrath, Matthias A. Dieringer, Fabian Hezel, Wolfgang Renz, Thoralf Niendorf & Jeanette Schulz-Menger

  4. Siemens Healthcare, 91052, Erlangen, Germany

    Wolfgang Renz

Authors
  1. Florian von Knobelsdorff-Brenkenhoff
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  2. Tobias Frauenrath
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  3. Marcel Prothmann
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  4. Matthias A. Dieringer
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  5. Fabian Hezel
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  6. Wolfgang Renz
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  7. Kerstin Kretschel
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  8. Thoralf Niendorf
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  9. Jeanette Schulz-Menger
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Correspondence to Florian von Knobelsdorff-Brenkenhoff.

Electronic supplemental material

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Video file 1

Two-chamber view obtained by FGRE cine imaging at 7 T with 4-mm slice thickness underlining the excellent blood/myocardium contrast even in the left ventricular apex (AVI 5764 kb)

Video file 2

Short-axis view obtained by FGRE cine imaging at 7 T with 4-mm slice thickness underlining the excellent blood/myocardium contrast and delineation of the left ventricular papillary muscle apparatus and the right ventricular trabeculae (AVI 5764 kb)

Video file 3

Four-chamber view by FGRE cine imaging at 7 T with 4-mm slice thickness emphasising the detailed visualisation of right ventricular trabeculae (AVI 5764 kb)

Video file 4

Cross-sectional view of the aortic valve including views of the pulmonary and tricuspid valves by FGRE cine imaging at 7 T with 4-mm slice thickness (AVI 5764 kb)

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von Knobelsdorff-Brenkenhoff, F., Frauenrath, T., Prothmann, M. et al. Cardiac chamber quantification using magnetic resonance imaging at 7 Tesla—a pilot study. Eur Radiol 20, 2844–2852 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-010-1888-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-010-1888-2

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