Motivation: Accurate LVEF assessment is essential for evaluating cardiac function, but conventional cardiac MRI techniques are time-consuming, operator-dependent, and have suboptimal anisotropic spatial resolution. Goal(s): To determine if accurate LVEF measurements can be achieved with shorter acquisition times and reduced spatial resolution by leveraging a 5D free-running framework with inter-bin motion compensation (FRF-MC). Approach: FRF-MC was optimized and compared to the original 5D method at three spatial resolutions and against a reference 2D cine in 9 healthy participants. Results: FRF-MC maintained accurate LVEF measurements across all investigated spatial resolutions with superior image quality, enabling rapid, free-breathing MRI acquisitions in as little as 2.5 minutes. Impact: Leveraging inter-bin motion compensation in the free-running framework with lower spatial resolution enables rapid, high-quality, free-breathing cardiac MRI in under 2.5 minutes without compromising left ventricular ejection fraction measurement accuracy. This advancement may enhance clinical workflows and improve patient comfort.
Yerly et al. (2025) studied this question.