Right ventricular assessment at cardiac MRI: initial clinical experience utilizing an IS-SENSE reconstruction.
Cardiac MR is considered the gold standard in assessing RV function. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical utility of an investigational iterative reconstruction algorithm in the quantitative assessment of RV function. This technique has the potential to improve the clinical utility of CMR in the evaluation of RV pathologies, particularly in patients with dyspnea, by shortening acquisition times without adversely influencing imaging performance. Segmented cine images were acquired on 9 healthy volunteers and 29 patients without documented RV pathologies using conventional GRAPPA acquisition with factor 2 acceleration (GRAPPA 2), a spatio-temporal TSENSE acquisition with factor 4 acceleration (TSENSE 4), and iteratively reconstructed Sparse SENSE acquisition with factor 4 acceleration (IS-SENSE 4). 14 subjects were re-analyzed and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated and Bland-Altman plots generated to assess agreement. Two independent reviewers qualitatively scored images. Comparison of acquisition techniques was performed using univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA). Differences in RV EF, BSA-indexed ESV (ESVi), BSA-indexed EDV (EDVi), and BSA-indexed SV (SVi) were shown to be statistically insignificant via ANOVA testing. R(2) values for linear regression of TSENSE 4 and IS-SENSE 4 versus GRAPPA 2 were 0.34 and 0.72 for RV-EF, and 0.61 and 0.76 for RV-EDVi. ICC values for intraobserver and interobserver quantification yielded excellent agreement, and Bland-Altman plots assessing agreement were generated as well. Qualitative review yielded small, but statistically significant differences in image quality and noise between TSENSE 4 and IS-SENSE 4. All three techniques were rated nearly artifact free. Segmented imaging acquisitions with IS-SENSE reconstruction and an acceleration factor of 4 accurately and reliably quantitates RV systolic function parameters, while maintaining image quality. TSENSE-4 accelerated acquisitions showed poorer correlation to standard imaging, and inferior interobserver and intraobserver agreement. IS-SENSE has the potential to shorten cine acquisition times by 50 %, improving imaging options in patients with intermittent arrhythmias or difficulties with breath holding.
Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
Abraham
A
Bogachkov
Department of Radiology, Northwestern University, 737 N. Michigan Ave Suite 1600, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
Jad Bou
JB
Ayache
Department of Radiology, Northwestern University, 737 N. Michigan Ave Suite 1600, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
Bradley D
BD
Allen
Department of Radiology, Northwestern University, 737 N. Michigan Ave Suite 1600, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
Ian
I
Murphy
Department of Radiology, Northwestern University, 737 N. Michigan Ave Suite 1600, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
Maria L
ML
Carr
Cardiovascular MR R&D, Siemens Healthcare, Chicago, IL, USA.
Bruce
B
Spottiswoode
Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Erlangen, Germany.
Michaela
M
Schmidt
Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Erlangen, Germany.
Michael O
MO
Zenge
Medical Imaging Technologies, Siemens Corporation, Princeton, NJ, USA.
Mariappan S
MS
Nadar
Cardiovascular MR R&D, Siemens Healthcare, Chicago, IL, USA.
Sven
S
Zuehlsdorff
Department of Cardiology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
Benjamin H
BH
Freed
Department of Radiology, Northwestern University, 737 N. Michigan Ave Suite 1600, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
James C
JC
Carr
Department of Radiology, Northwestern University, 737 N. Michigan Ave Suite 1600, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA. collins@fsm.northwestern.edu.
Jeremy D
JD
Collins
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D016014:Linear Models; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013318:Stroke Volume; D013997:Time Factors; D016278:Ventricular Function, Right
Accelerated MRI; Cardiac gated imaging techniques; Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging; Ventricular function