Myocardial T(2)(*) mapping at ultrahigh magnetic fields: in vivo myocardial tissue characterization and assessment of cardiac physiology with magnetic resonance imaging

Mapping the effective transverse relaxation time T(2)(*) represents an emerging MRI tool for noninvasive myocardial tissue characterization and holds the promise to provide means for assessing myocardial (patho)physiology in vivo. This work takes advantage of the linear increase of susceptibility effects with magnetic field strength which renders it appealing to perform T2*(2)(*) mapping at ultrahigh magnetic fields and enables temporally resolved T(2)(*) mapping. Recognizing this potential this study examines the applicability of myocardial CINE T(2)(*) mapping in healthy volunteers and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients at 7.0 Tesla and investigates its capability to distinguish between healthy myocardium and myocardium affected by HCM.