title: High-resolution myocardial stress perfusion at 3 T in patients with suspected coronary artery disease.
abstract: To implement a high-resolution first-pass myocardial perfusion imaging protocol (HRPI) at 3 T, and to evaluate the feasibility, image quality and accuracy of this approach prospectively in patients with suspected CAD. We hypothesized that utilizing the gain in SNR at 3 T to increase spatial resolution would reduce partial volume effects and subendocardial dark rim artifacts in comparison to 1.5 T. HRPI studies were performed on 60 patients using a segmented k-space gradient echo sequence (in plane resolution 1.97 x 1.94 mm(2)). Semiquantitative assessment of dark rim artifacts was performed for the stress studies on a slice-by-slice basis. Qualitative visual analysis was compared to quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) results; hemodynamically significant CAD was defined as stenosis >or=70% at QCA. Dark rim artifacts appeared in 108 of 180 slices (average extent 1.3 +/- 1.2 mm representing 11.8 +/- 10.8% of the transmural myocardial thickness). Sensitivity, specifity, and test accuracy for the detection of significant CAD were 89%,79%, and 85%. HRPI studies at 3 T are feasible in a clinical setting, providing good image quality and high accuracy for detection of significant CAD. The presence of dark rim artifacts does not appear to represent a diagnostic problem when using a HRPI approach.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53129, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Strach
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Harold
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Litt
authors.forename: Claas P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Nähle
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tiemann
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schwenger
authors.forename: Hans H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Schild
authors.forename: Torsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sommer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016477:Artifacts; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008280:Magnetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D015588:Observer Variation; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C090600:gadobutrol