Abstract 15137: Detection of Diffuse Myocardial Fibrosis using Multi-slice T1 Mapping by Slice Interleaved T1 (STONE) Sequence in Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Abstract

Introduction: In hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), there are significant variations in left ventricular (LV) wall thickness and fibrosis, which necessitates a volumetric coverage. Slice-interleaved T1 (STONE) mapping sequence allows for the assessment of native T1 time with complete coverage of LV myocardium. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that STONE sequence is useful for the assessment of regional native T1 time abnormality in HCM patients. Methods: Twenty-four septal HCM patients (56±16 years) and 10 healthy adult control subjects (57±15 years) were studied. Native T1 mapping was performed using STONE sequence which enables acquisition of 5 slices in the short-axis plane within a 90 sec free-breathing scan. We measured LV native T1 time and maximum LV wall thickness in each 16 segments from 3 slices (basal-, mid- and apical-slice) and evaluated the relationship between LV native T1 time and wall thickness. Late gadolinium enhanced (LGE) MRI was acquired to assess presence of myocardial enhancement. Results: In HCM patients, LV native T1 time was significantly elevated compared to healthy controls, regardless of presence or absence of LGE (mean native T1 time; LGE (+) segments (n=27), 1139±55 msec; LGE (-) segments (n=351), 1118±55 msec; healthy control (n=160),1065±35 msec; p<0.001 by one-way ANOVA, 6 segments were excluded from analysis due to artifacts). Among 351 segments without LGE, native LV T1 time was diffusely elevated over the 16 segments (Figure). Significant positive correlation was found between LV wall thickness and native LV T1 time (y=1013+8.7x, p<0.001). Conclusions: In HCM, substantial number of segments without LGE showed elevated native T1 time, and native T1 time was correlated with LV wall thickness. Multi-slice T1 mapping by using STONE sequence could be advantageous to overcome limited cardiac coverage of conventional single-slice T1 mapping technique and to accurately detect the diffuse myocardial fibrosis in HCM patients.