Inversion-recovery single-shot cardiac MRI for the assessment of myocardial infarction at 1.5 T with a dedicated cardiac coil.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of imaging myocardial infarction with a two-dimensional (2D) single-shot inversion-recovery (IR)-gradient-echo (GE) sequence compared with a standard 2D segmented IR-GE sequence at 1.5 T using a dedicated cardiac coil.


METHODS
22 patients with myocardial infarction documented in the past 3-12 months were examined at 1.5 T using a 5 channel cardiac coil. Imaging of delayed enhancement was performed 15 min after administration of 0.2 mmol of gadopentetate dimeglumine per kilogram of body weight. Immediately after completion of the single-shot sequence, which allows for coverage of the entire ventricle during a single breath-hold with nine slices, the segmented IR sequence was started. Infarct volumes, infarct transmurality and contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs) of infarcted and healthy myocardium were compared between both techniques.


RESULTS
Despite a moderate, non-significant loss of CNR (CNR(single-shot IR)=31.2±4.1; CNR(segmented IR)=37.9±4.1; p=0.405), the 2D single-shot technique correctly determined infarct size when compared with the standard 2D segmented IR-GE sequence. Assessment of both infarct volume (r=0.95; p<0.0001) and transmurality (r=0.97; p<0.0001) is possible, with excellent correlation of both techniques.


CONCLUSIONS
Single-shot delayed enhancement imaging during a single breath-hold is feasible at 1.5 T with the use of a dedicated cardiac coil. Despite a moderately lower CNR, the single-shot technique allows for fast and accurate determination of infarct size with high spatial resolution and has the potential to reduce electrocardiogram and breathing artefacts.
Department of Radiology, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany. moritz.wildgruber@tum.de
M
M
Wildgruber
M
M
Settles
K
K
Herrmann
A J
AJ
Beer
E J
EJ
Rummeny
A M
AM
Huber
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000473:pathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity