Dataset Information

Simultaneous multislice steady-state free precession myocardial perfusion with full left ventricular coverage and high resolution at 1.5 T.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

To implement and evaluate a simultaneous multi-slice balanced SSFP (SMS-bSSFP) perfusion sequence and compressed sensing reconstruction for cardiac MR perfusion imaging with full left ventricular (LV) coverage (nine slices/heartbeat) and high spatial resolution (1.4 × 1.4 mm² ) at 1.5T.

Methods

A preliminary study was performed to evaluate the performance of blipped controlled aliasing in parallel imaging (CAIPI) and RF-CAIPI with gradient-controlled local Larmor adjustment (GC-LOLA) in the presence of fat. A nine-slice SMS-bSSFP sequence using RF-CAIPI with GC-LOLA with high spatial resolution (1.4 × 1.4 mm² ) and a conventional three-slice sequence with conventional spatial resolution (1.9 × 1.9 mm² ) were then acquired in 10 patients under rest conditions. Qualitative assessment was performed to assess image quality and perceived signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) on a 4-point scale (0: poor image quality/low SNR; 3: excellent image quality/high SNR), and the number of myocardial segments with diagnostic image quality was recorded. Quantitative measurements of myocardial sharpness and upslope index were performed.

Results

Fat signal leakage was significantly higher for blipped CAIPI than for RF-CAIPI with GC-LOLA (7.9% vs. 1.2%, p = 0.010). All 10 SMS-bSSFP perfusion datasets resulted in 16/16 diagnostic myocardial segments. There were no significant differences between the SMS and conventional acquisitions in terms of image quality (2.6 ± 0.6 vs. 2.7 ± 0.2, p = 0.8) or perceived SNR (2.8 ± 0.3 vs. 2.7 ± 0.3, p = 0.3). Inter-reader variability was good for both image quality (ICC = 0.84) and perceived SNR (ICC = 0.70). Myocardial sharpness was improved using the SMS sequence compared to the conventional sequence (0.37 ± 0.08 vs 0.32 ± 0.05, p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between measurements of upslope index for the SMS and conventional sequences (0.11 ± 0.04 vs. 0.11 ± 0.03, p = 0.84).

Conclusion

SMS-bSSFP with multiband factor 3 and compressed sensing reconstruction enables cardiac MR perfusion imaging with three-fold increased spatial coverage and improved myocardial sharpness compared to a conventional sequence, without compromising perceived SNR, image quality, upslope index or number of diagnostic segments.

SUBMITTER: McElroy S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9310832 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundConventional myocardial T1 mapping techniques such as modified Look-Locker inversion recovery (MOLLI) generate one T1 map per breathhold. T1 mapping with full left ventricular coverage may be desirable when spatial T1 variations are expected. This would require multiple breathholds, increasing patient discomfort and prolonging scan time.PurposeTo develop and characterize a novel FASt single-breathhold 2D multislice myocardial T1 mapping (FAST1) technique for full left ventricular coverage.Study typeProspective.Population/phantomNumerical simulation, agarose/NiCl2 phantom, 9 healthy volunteers, and 17 patients.Field strength/sequence1.5T/FAST1.AssessmentTwo FAST1 approaches, FAST1-BS and FAST1-IR, were characterized and compared with standard 5-(3)-3 MOLLI in terms of accuracy, precision/spatial variability, and repeatability.Statistical testsKruskal-Wallis, Wilcoxon signed rank tests, intraclass correlation coefficient analysis, analysis of variance, Student's t-tests, Pearson correlation analysis, and Bland-Altman analysis.ResultsIn simulation/phantom, FAST1-BS, FAST1-IR, and MOLLI had an accuracy (expressed as T1 error) of 0.2%/4%, 6%/9%, and 4%/7%, respectively, while FAST1-BS and FAST1-IR had a precision penalty of 1.7/1.5 and 1.5/1.4 in comparison with MOLLI, respectively. In healthy volunteers, FAST1-BS/FAST1-IR/MOLLI led to different native myocardial T1 times (1016 ± 27 msec/952 ±22 msec/987 ± 23 msec, P < 0.0001) and spatial variability (66 ± 10 msec/57 ± 8 msec/46 ± 7 msec, P < 0.001). There were no statistically significant differences between all techniques for T1 repeatability (P = 0.18). In vivo native and postcontrast myocardial T1 times in both healthy volunteers and patients using FAST1-BS/FAST1-IR were highly correlated with MOLLI (Pearson correlation coefficient ≥0.93).Data conclusionFAST1 enables myocardial T1 mapping with full left ventricular coverage in three separated breathholds. In comparison with MOLLI, FAST1 yield a 5-fold increase of spatial coverage, limited penalty of T1 precision/spatial variability, no significant difference of T1 repeatability, and highly correlated T1 times. FAST1-IR provides improved T1 precision/spatial variability but reduced accuracy when compared with FAST1-BS.Level of evidence1 Technical Efficacy: Stage 3 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2020;51:492-504.