title: Evaluation of sodium T1 relaxation times in human heart.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the sodium longitudinal relaxation (T(1)) characteristics for myocardium and blood in humans.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eleven healthy volunteers were examined by using a (23)Na heart surface coil at a 1.5 T clinical scanner equipped with a broadband spectroscopy option. (23)Na MR measurements were performed by using a three-dimensional spoiled gradient echo sequence (in-plane resolution, 3.5 mm x 7 mm; slice thickness, 24 mm; TE, 3.1 msec; bandwidth, 65 Hz/pixel; TR, 21 to 150 msec).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Longitudinal T(1) relaxation time components were 31.6+/-7.0 msec and 31.1+/-7.5 msec for myocardium and blood, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  (23)Na T(1) relaxation times of myocardium and blood can be determined in humans. The results are in agreement with values obtained from animal studies.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Röntgendiagnostik, Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany. pabst@roentgen.uni-wuerzburg.de
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pabst
authors.forename: Joern
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sandstede
authors.forename: Meinrad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beer
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kenn
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Neubauer
authors.forename: Dietbert
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hahn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001769:Blood; D019560:Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D012016:Reference Values; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism*; D012975:Sodium Isotopes; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D012975:Sodium Isotopes; D012964:Sodium