Quantification of Left Atrial Size and Function in Cardiac MR in Correlation to Non-Gated MR and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Subjects without Cardiovascular Disease: A Population-Based Cohort Study
Charlotte Kulka,
Roberto Lorbeer,
Esther Askani,
Elias Kellner,
Marco Reisert,
Ricarda von Krüchten,
Susanne Rospleszcz,
Dunja Hasic,
Annette Peters,
Fabian Bamberg,
Christopher L. Schlett
Affiliations
Charlotte Kulka
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
Roberto Lorbeer
Department of Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital, 80336 Munich, Germany
Esther Askani
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
Elias Kellner
Medical Physics, Department of Radiology, Medical Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
Marco Reisert
Medical Physics, Department of Radiology, Medical Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
Ricarda von Krüchten
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
Susanne Rospleszcz
Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
Dunja Hasic
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
Annette Peters
Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
Fabian Bamberg
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
Christopher L. Schlett
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
Background: In magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the comparability of gated and non-gated measurements of the left atrial (LA) area and function and their association with cardiovascular risk factors have not been firmly established. Methods: 3-Tesla MRIs were performed on 400 subjects enrolled in the KORA (Cooperative Health Research in the Augsburg Region) MRI study. The LA maximum and minimum sizes were segmented in gated CINE four-chamber sequences (LAmax and LAmin) and non-gated T1 VIBE-Dixon (NGLA). The area-based LA function was defined as LAaf = (LAmax − LAmin)/LAmax. Inter-and intra-reader reliability tests were performed (n = 31). Linear regression analyses were conducted to link LA size and function with cardiovascular risk factors. Results: Data from 378 subjects were included in the analysis (mean age: 56.3 years, 57.7 % male). The measurements were highly reproducible (all intraclass correlation coefficients ≥ 0.98). The average LAmax was 19.6 ± 4.5 cm2, LAmin 11.9 ± 3.5 cm2, NGLA 16.8 ± 4 cm2 and LAaf 40 ± 9%. In regression analysis, hypertension was significantly associated with larger gated LAmax (β = 1.30), LAmin (β = 1.07), and non-gated NGLA (β = 0.94, all p ≤ 0.037). Increasing age was inversely associated with LAaf (β = −1.93, p < 0.001). Conclusion: LA enlargement, as measured in gated and non-gated CMR is associated with hypertension, while the area-based LA function decreases with age.
