Purpose:Patients with cardiovascular disease often suffer from renal impairment. We aimed to validate ultrashort echo time (UTE) T2* imaging without the use of any contrast agents in a phantom and patients with known cardiac fibrosis. Methods:A phantom of porcine tissue with muscle and fibrosis was created and scanned with UTE. The imaging data were compared with histology. Thereafter, 27 patients with known CAD were prospectively included between December 2013 and July 2014. Cardiac MRI was conducted on a 1.5-T scanner with UTE imaging using a long (6 ms) and short (0.6 ms) echo time. The signal intensity of visualized scarring was compared to (LGE) images followed by graphical analysis using a t-test, Bland-Altman plots and Pearson correlation analysis. Results:Among the 27 included patients (age: 75 ± 10 years), scar tissue areas defined by UTE and conventional LGE imaging were well correlated (r =0.9, p<0.0001). The interobserver reproducibility of the UTE assessment was satisfactory (bias = -0.33, 95 % limits of agreement = -4.980–4.315). Data conclusion:In vivo MRI of myocardial scarring is feasible using T2* imaging with UTE in patients with coronary artery disease. This technique detected subendocardial scarring without using a contrast agent.
Elkenhans et al. (Sat,) studied this question.