Left Ventricular Function Evaluation on a 3T MR Scanner with Parallel RF Transmission Technique: Prospective Comparison of Cine Sequences Acquired before and after Gadolinium Injection.

Thibault Caspar,Anthony Schultz,Mickaël Schaeffer,Soraya El Ghannudi,Aïssam Labani,Catherine Roy,Paul Thomas Jurgens,Mickaël Ohana,Mi-Young Jeung

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0163503

Abstract

ObjectivesTo compare cine MR b-TFE sequences acquired before and after gadolinium injection, on a 3T scanner with a parallel RF transmission technique in order to potentially improve scanning time efficiency when evaluating LV function.Methods25 consecutive patients scheduled for a cardiac MRI were prospectively included and had their b-TFE cine sequences acquired before and right after gadobutrol injection. Images were assessed qualitatively (overall image quality, LV edge sharpness, artifacts and LV wall motion) and quantitatively with measurement of LVEF, LV mass, and telediastolic volume and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) between the myocardium and the cardiac chamber. Statistical analysis was conducted using a Bayesian paradigm.ResultsNo difference was found before or after injection for the LVEF, LV mass and telediastolic volume evaluations. Overall image quality and CNR were significantly lower after injection (estimated coefficient cine after > cine before gadolinium: -1.75 CI = [-3.78;-0.0305], prob(coef>0) = 0% and -0.23 CI = [-0.49;0.04], prob(coef>0) = 4%) respectively), but this decrease did not affect the visual assessment of LV wall motion (cine after > cine before gadolinium: -1.46 CI = [-4.72;1.13], prob(coef>0) = 15%).ConclusionsIn 3T cardiac MRI acquired with parallel RF transmission technique, qualitative and quantitative assessment of LV function can reliably be performed with cine sequences acquired after gadolinium injection, despite a significant decrease in the CNR and the overall image quality.

Highlights

MRI is currently the standard technique for the assessment of cardiac chambers volumes and function [1,2], with the best reproducibility [3]
Overall image quality and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were significantly lower after injection (estimated coefficient cine after > cine before gadolinium: -1.75 CI = [-3.78;-0.0305], prob = 0% and -0.23 CI = [-0.49;0.04], prob(coef>0) = 4%) respectively), but this decrease did not affect the visual assessment of left ventricular (LV) wall motion (cine after > cine before gadolinium: -1.46 CI = [-4.72;1.13], prob(coef>0) = 15%)
In 3T cardiac MRI acquired with parallel RF transmission technique, qualitative and quantitative assessment of LV function can reliably be performed with cine sequences acquired after gadolinium injection, despite a significant decrease in the CNR and the overall image quality

Summary

Introduction

MRI is currently the standard technique for the assessment of cardiac chambers volumes and function [1,2], with the best reproducibility [3]. There is a strong interest in optimizing the cardiac MRI acquisition protocols in order to shorten them as much as reasonably achievable [6,7,8], and a push towards utilizing all available MR resources, whether it be 1.5T or 3T scanners [9,10,11,12] In addition to these cine sequences dedicated to the evaluation of the cardiac chamber volumes and ventricular systolic function, CMR protocols frequently include late-gadolinium enhancement (LGE) sequences that are acquired 5 to 10 minutes after the contrast agent injection [13,14]. If post-contrast is currently a common practice in many 1.5T CMR sites, its generalization to 3T sites is not yet supported by the current literature

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