title: Automated truncation method for myocardial T2* measurement in thalassemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To propose an automated truncation method for myocardial T2* measurement and evaluate this method on a large population of patients with iron loading in the heart and scanned at multiple magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) centers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 550 thalassemia patients were scanned at 20 international centers using a variety of MR scanners (Siemens, Philips, or GE). A single mid-ventricular short axis slice was imaged. All patient data were anonymized before the T2* were measured by expert observers using standard techniques. These same datasets were then retrospectively processed using the proposed automated truncation method by another independent observer and the resulting T2* measurements were compared with those of expert readings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The T2* measurements using the automated method showed good agreement with those measured by expert observers using standard techniques (P = 0.95) with a low coefficient of variation (1.6%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates feasibility and good reproducibility of a new automated truncation method for myocardial T2* measurement. This approach simplifies the overall analysis and can be easily incorporated into T2* analysis software to facilitate further development of a fully automated myocardial tissue iron quantification.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Unit, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK. t.he@imperial.ac.uk
authors.forename: Taigang
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: John-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Carpenter
authors.forename: Yanqiu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Gillian C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Dudley J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Pennell
authors.forename: David N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Firmin
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D038622:Internationality; D019190:Iron Overload / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*