PLoS ONE (Jan 2021)

On the way to routine cardiac MRI at 7 Tesla - a pilot study on consecutive 84 examinations.

  • Theresa Reiter,
  • David Lohr,
  • Michael Hock,
  • Markus Johannes Ankenbrand,
  • Maria Roxana Stefanescu,
  • Aleksander Kosmala,
  • Mathias Kaspar,
  • Christoph Juchem,
  • Maxim Terekhov,
  • Laura Maria Schreiber

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0252797
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 16, no. 7
p. e0252797

Abstract

Read online

IntroductionCardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) at ultrahigh field (UHF) offers the potential of high resolution and fast image acquisition. Both technical and physiological challenges associated with CMR at 7T require specific hardware and pulse sequences. This study aimed to assess the current status and existing, publicly available technology regarding the potential of a clinical application of 7T CMR.MethodsUsing a 7T MRI scanner and a commercially available radiofrequency coil, a total of 84 CMR examinations on 72 healthy volunteers (32 males, age 19-70 years, weight 50-103 kg) were obtained. Both electrocardiographic and acoustic triggering were employed. The data were analyzed regarding the diagnostic image quality and the influence of patient and hardware dependent factors. 50 complete short axis stacks and 35 four chamber CINE views were used for left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV), mono-planar LV function, and RV fractional area change (FAC). Twenty-seven data sets included aortic flow measurements that were used to calculate stroke volumes. Subjective acceptance was obtained from all volunteers with a standardized questionnaire.ResultsFunctional analysis showed good functions of LV (mean EF 56%), RV (mean EF 59%) and RV FAC (mean FAC 52%). Flow measurements showed congruent results with both ECG and ACT triggering. No significant influence of experimental parameters on the image quality of the LV was detected. Small fractions of 5.4% of LV and 2.5% of RV segments showed a non-diagnostic image quality. The nominal flip angle significantly influenced the RV image quality.ConclusionThe results demonstrate that already now a commercially available 7T MRI system, without major methods developments, allows for a solid morphological and functional analysis similar to the clinically established CMR routine approach. This opens the door towards combing routine CMR in patients with development of advanced 7T technology.