title: Evaluation of nonscarred myocardial T1 value using contrast-enhanced look-locker cardiac MRI and its relationship to cardiac function in dilated cardiomyopathy: Comparison of 1.5 and 3.0 Tesla MRI.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess relationship between nonscarred myocardial T1 value measured using contrast-enhanced Look-Locker MRI and cardiac function in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) at 1.5 Tesla (T) and 3.0T MRI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Contrast-enhanced Look-Locker MRI was performed in 35 DCM patients. Nonscarred myocardial and blood T1 values were calculated from the signal intensity values and the delay time obtained on Look-Locker MRI. We assessed the correlation between the myocardial T1 value or myocardial T1 minus blood T1 value and cardiac function estimated using cine MRI (e.g., end-diastolic volume: EDV, left ventricular ejection fraction: LVEF) or brain natriuretic peptide (BNP).
  
  
  RESULTS
  With 1.5T MRI (n = 16), the myocardial T1 value correlated negatively with the EDV(r = -0.66) and end-systolic volume (ESV; r = -0.68), and positively with the LVEF (r = 0.51); the myocardial T1 minus blood T1 value correlated inversely with EDV (r = -0.70), ESV (r = -0.62), and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP; r = -0.56). With 3.0T MRI (n = 17), the myocardial T1 value correlated negatively with ESV (r = -0.44), septal thickness (r = -0.60), and BNP (r = -0.51), and positively with LVEF (r = 0.61); the myocardial T1 minus blood T1 value negatively correlated with BNP (r = -0.50) and positively with LVEF (r = 0.54).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The nonscarred myocardial T1 value measured with either 1.5T or 3.0T contrast-enhanced Look-Locker MRI is significantly related to cardiac dysfunction in DCM.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Radiology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tachi
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Amano
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Kyoichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mizuno
authors.forename: Shinichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumita
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D006334:Heart Function Tests; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D005682:Gadolinium
keywords: 1.5T; 3.0T; Look-Locker imaging; T1 value; dilated cardiomyopathy; myocardium