Intertechnique agreement and interstudy reproducibility of strain and diastolic strain rate at 1.5 and 3 Tesla: a comparison of feature-tracking and tagging in patients with aortic stenosis.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the interstudy reproducibility of myocardial strain and peak early-diastolic strain rate (PEDSR) measurement on cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) assessed with feature tracking (FT) and tagging, in patients with aortic stenosis (AS).


METHODS
Cardiac MRI was performed twice (1-14 days apart) in 18 patients (8 at 1.5 Tesla [T], 10 at 3T) with moderate-severe AS. Circumferential peak systolic strain (PSS) and PEDSR were measured in all patients. Longitudinal PSS and PEDSR were assessed using FT in all patients, and tagging in the 3T sub-group.


RESULTS
PSS was higher with FT than tagging (21.0 ± 1.9% versus 17.0 ± 3.4% at 1.5T, 21.4 ± 4.0% versus 17.7 ± 3.0% at 3T, P < 0.05), as was PEDSR (1.3 ± 0.3 s(-1) versus 1.0 ± 0.3 s(-1) , P = 0.10 at 1.5T and 1.3 ± 0.4 s(-1) versus 0.8 ± 0.3 s(-1) , P < 0.05 at 3T). The reproducibility of PSS was excellent with FT (coefficient of variation [CoV] 9-10%) and good with tagging at 1.5T (13-19%). Reproducibility of circumferential PEDSR was best at 1.5T when only basal/mid slices were included (CoV 12%), but moderate to poor at 3T (29-35%). Reproducibility of longitudinal strain was good with FT (10-16%) but moderate for PEDSR (∼30%).


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with AS, FT consistently produces higher values compared with tagging. The interstudy reproducibility of PSS is excellent with FT and good with tagging. The reproducibility of circumferential PEDSR at 1.5T is good when only basal and mid slices are used.
Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, United Kingdom; NIHR Leicester Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, United Kingdom.
Anvesha
A
Singh
Christopher D
CD
Steadman
Jamal N
JN
Khan
Mark A
MA
Horsfield
Soliana
S
Bekele
Sheraz A
SA
Nazir
Prathap
P
Kanagala
Nicholas G D
NG
Masca
Patrick
P
Clarysse
Gerry P
GP
McCann
D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003971:Diastole; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D033081:Shear Strength; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013318:Stroke Volume; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*
Cardiac MRI; aortic stenosis; feature tracking; tagging