Interstudy reproducibility of SSFP cine magnetic resonance: impact of magnetic field strength and parallel imaging.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effects of field strength and parallel imaging on image contrast and interstudy reproducibility of right and left ventricular (RV and LV) measurements using steady-state free precession (SSFP) cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR).


METHODS
Thirty-two subjects (20 normal, 12 cardiac patients) underwent four SSFP cine short-axis imaging studies: two at 1.5T, one at 3T, and another at 3T with parallel imaging (SENSE). RV and LV contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs) were compared between methods. Interstudy reproducibility of RV and LV measurements were assessed by Bland-Altman analyses.


RESULTS
3T SENSE imaging reduced total imaging time from 8 +/- 2 minutes to 3 +/- 1 minute (P < 0.001). A significant gain in LV CNR was detected between 1.5T and 3T with SENSE (43.8 +/- 6.5 vs. 48.4 +/- 7.4, P = 0.01), but no significant gain was detected in RV CNR. The reproducibility of LV and RV measurements between two 1.5T studies was not significantly different from the reproducibility between a 1.5T study and a 3T study with SENSE.


CONCLUSIONS
SENSE imaging at 3T is a reproducible technique for assessing RV and LV structure and function.
Maroules
Christopher D
CD
Department of Radiology, Donald W. Reynolds Cardiovascular Clinical Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390-8896, USA.
McColl
Roderick
R
Khera
Amit
A
Peshock
Ronald M
RM
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018497:Ventricular Dysfunction, Right / Q000503:physiopathology*