Breath-hold FLASH and FISP cardiovascular MR imaging: left ventricular volume differences and reproducibility.
OBJECTIVE
To compare fast imaging with steady-state precession (FISP) and fast low-angle shot (FLASH) magnetic resonance acquisitions to quantify left ventricular volumes, mass, and function and to determine if the two techniques are comparable.


METHODS
Left ventricular volume studies were performed in 10 patients with heart failure and in 10 healthy subjects by using FISP and FLASH imaging. Identical section positions were used for section-by-section contour comparisons. Manual analysis was performed by two experienced observers. The study was repeated on a different day and interobserver and interstudy reproducibility assessed.


RESULTS
With FISP, end-diastolic volume was larger (healthy subjects: +18 mL [13%], P <.001; patients: +6 mL [3%], not significant), end-systolic volume larger (healthy subjects: +9 mL [17%], P =.001; patients: +8 mL [6%], P =.001) and left ventricular mass smaller (healthy subjects: -25 g (19%), P <.001; patients: -21 g (11%), P <.001). There were no significant differences in ejection fraction. Both sequences had excellent interstudy and interobserver reproducibility, with statistically better reproducibility for interstudy healthy-subject ejection fraction on FISP images (P =.05). Section-by-section analysis determined that at FISP, endocardial contours were drawn larger and the epicardial contours smaller than on FLASH images. FISP enabled better delineation of epicardial fat from myocardium, of blood-myocardium interface in areas of trabeculation or papillary muscles, and of the atrioventricular ring.


CONCLUSIONS
FISP produces small but significantly higher left ventricular volume measurements, as compared with FLASH imaging. FLASH imaging and FISP have similar reproducibility.
Moon
James C C
JC
Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Unit, Royal Brompton Hospital, Sydney St, London SW3 6NP, England. j.moon@rbh.thames.nhs.uk
Lorenz
Christine H
CH
Francis
Jane M
JM
Smith
Gillian C
GC
Pennell
Dudley J
DJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002138:Calibration; D002306:Cardiac Volume / Q000502:physiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000473:pathology*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left