Myocardial effective transverse relaxation time T(2)* correlates with left ventricular wall thickness: a 7.0 T MRI study
Authors
- T. Huelnhagen
- F. Hezel
- T. Serradas Duarte
- A. Pohlmann
- C. Oezerdem
- B. Flemming
- E. Seeliger
- M. Prothmann
- J. Schulz-Menger
- T. Niendorf
Journal
- Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
Citation
- Magn Reson Med 77 (6): 2381-2389
Abstract
PURPOSE: Myocardial effective relaxation time T2* is commonly regarded as a surrogate for myocardial tissue oxygenation. However, it is legitimate to assume that there are multiple factors that influence T2*. To this end, this study investigates the relationship between T2* and cardiac macromorphology given by left ventricular (LV) wall thickness and left ventricular radius, and provides interpretation of the results in the physiological context. METHODS: High spatio-temporally resolved myocardial CINE T2* mapping was performed in 10 healthy volunteers using a 7.0 Tesla (T) full-body MRI system. Ventricular septal wall thickness, left ventricular inner radius, and T2* were analyzed. Macroscopic magnetic field changes were elucidated using cardiac phase-resolved magnetic field maps. RESULTS: Ventricular septal T2* changes periodically over the cardiac cycle, increasing in systole and decreasing in diastole. Ventricular septal wall thickness and T2* showed a significant positive correlation, whereas the inner LV radius and T2* were negatively correlated. The effect of macroscopic magnetic field gradients on T2* can be considered minor in the ventricular septum. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that myocardial T2* is related to tissue blood volume fraction. Temporally resolved T2* mapping could be beneficial for myocardial tissue characterization and for understanding cardiac (patho)physiology in vivo.