November 27, 2024TomographyOpen Access

Assessing Acute Pericarditis with T1 Mapping: A Supportive Contrast-Free CMR Marker

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Why the study?

To explore the utility of pericardial T1 mapping as a potential supportive non-contrast CMR parameter in the diagnosis of acute pericarditis and examine its relationship with clinical and cardiac parameters.

Does pericardial T1 mapping accurately discriminate patients with acute pericarditis from healthy controls?

Structured PICO

Does pericardial T1 mapping accurately discriminate patients with acute pericarditis from healthy controls?

Population

52 individuals, comprising 35 consecutive patients with acute pericarditis (mean age 45.54 ± 23.38 years, 26 males) and 17 sex- and age-matched healthy controls (mean age 47.78 ± 19.38 years, 12 males).

Intervention

Pericardial T1 mapping using cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR)

Comparator

Healthy controls

Outcome

Pericardial T1 mapping values and diagnostic performance (AUC) in discriminating acute pericarditissurrogate

Pericardial T1 mapping is a highly accurate, non-contrast CMR parameter for diagnosing acute pericarditis, correlating independently with LGE severity.

Implication

May support non-contrast CMR diagnosis of acute pericarditis; leaves open prospective validation.

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of pericardial T1 mapping as a potential supportive non-contrast cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) parameter in the diagnosis of acute pericarditis. Additionally, we investigated the relationship between T1 mapping values in acute pericarditis patients and their demographic data, cardiovascular risk factors, clinical parameters, cardiac biomarkers, and cardiac function. Method: This retrospective study included CMR scans in 35 consecutive patients with acute pericarditis (26 males, 45.54 ± 23.38 years). Moreover, we included 17 sex- and age-matched healthy controls (12 males, mean age 47.78 ±19.38 years). CMR-derived pericardial T1 mapping values, which included all pericardial structures within the pericardial layers—encompassing both pericardial effusion and pericardial layer thickness—were analyzed and compared between acute pericarditis patients and controls. Results: Compared to the matched control group, acute pericarditis patients demonstrated significantly lower pericardial T1 mapping values (2137 ms ± 519 vs. 3268 ms ± 362, p = 0.001). In the multivariable analysis, the pericardial T1 mapping value was independently associated with the severity of pericardial late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) (β coefficient = −3.271, p = 0.003). The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the diagnostic performance of pericardial T1 mapping in discriminating acute pericarditis patients was excellent, with an area under the curve of 0.97 (95% CI = 0.94–0.98), using a threshold of 2862.5 ms. Conclusions: Pericardial T1 mapping values could serve as an additional non-contrast CMR parameter for identifying patients with acute pericarditis, demonstrating an independent association with the severity of pericardial LGE.