[Cardiac MRI with SENSE technology: study of ventricular and valvular functionality in 30 patients].
OBJECTIVE
The latest innovation in MR imaging is SENSE (SENSitivity Encoding), a technology providing an important solution for the time necessary for signal encoding. In the SENSitivity Encoding (SENSE) approach, an array of multiple, simultaneously operated receiver coils is used for signal acquisition. In particular, the efficacy of SENSE technology is able to reduce the number of phase encodings by a factor (named R factor or Reduction factor) and to evaluate the same k space with fewer readout lines obtaining higher spatial and temporal resolution.


METHODS
An heterogeneous group of 30 patients with a variety of clinically proven diagnoses underwent Cardiac MR with SENSE technology to evaluate the technique's diagnostic efficacy. The sequences used were "Balanced" Ultrafast Gradient Echo (B-FFE) characterised by a hyper-intense blood signal with multislice multiphase and single slice multiphase acquisitions.


RESULTS
In addition to reducing scan times, SENSE technology improved spatial and temporal resolution (40 frames/cardiac cycle) providing optimal dynamic evaluation of valve structures and wall kinesis. Furthermore, the use of the SENSE technique with B-FFE sequences (sB-FFE) enabled the qualitative evaluation of abnormal blood movements and transvalvular flows.


CONCLUSIONS
The considerable time savings allowed by SENSE technology and the clear improvement in image quality constitute a step forward in cardiac MR imaging. The possibility of executing morphologic, dynamic, perfusional and spectroscopic studies in the same MR examination session with short acquisition times and good image quality are becoming more feasible.
Sodani
Giulio
G
Dipartimento di Diagnostica per Immagini e Radiologia Interventistica.
Sciuto
Francesco
F
Di Roma
Mauro
M
Romagnoli
Andrea
A
Novelli
Giampaolo
G
Squillaci
Ettore
E
Forleo
Giovanni B
GB
Romeo
Francesco
F
Schillaci
Orazio
O
Simonetti
Giovanni
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002302:Cardiac Output; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D003971:Diastole; D004437:Ebstein Anomaly / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D006351:Heart Valves / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008476:Mediastinal Cyst / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013318:Stroke Volume; D013599:Systole; D016276:Ventricular Function