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Open Access 01-01-2015 | Original Article

High-field MR imaging in pediatric congenital heart disease: Initial results

Authors: Kim-Lien Nguyen, Sarah N. Khan, John M. Moriarty, Kiyarash Mohajer, Pierangelo Renella, Gary Satou, Ihab Ayad, Swati Patel, M. Ines Boechat, J. Paul Finn

Published in: Pediatric Radiology | Issue 1/2015

Abstract

Background

Comprehensive assessment of pediatric congenital heart disease (CHD) at any field strength mandates evaluation of both vascular and dynamic cardiac anatomy for which diagnostic quality contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CEMRA) and cardiac cine are crucial.

Objective

To determine whether high-resolution (HR) CEMRA and steady-state free precession (SSFP) cine can be performed reliably at 3.0 T in children with CHD and to compare the image quality to similar techniques performed at 1.5 T.

Materials and methods

Twenty-eight patients with a median age of 5 months and average weight 9.0 ± 7.8 kg with suspected or known CHD were evaluated at 3.0 T. SSFP cine (n = 86 series) and HR-CEMRA (n = 414 named vascular segments) were performed and images were scored for image quality and artifacts. The findings were compared to those of 28 patients with CHD of similar weight who were evaluated at 1.5 T.

Results

Overall image quality on HR-CEMRA was rated as excellent or good in 96% (397/414) of vascular segments at 3.0 T (k = 0.49) and in 94% (349/371) of vascular segments at 1.5 T (k = 0.36). Overall image quality of SSFP was rated excellent or good in 91% (78/86) of cine series at 3.0 T (k = 0.55) and in 81% (87/108) at 1.5 T (k = 0.47). Off-resonance artifact was common at both field strengths, varied over the cardiac cycle and was more prevalent at 3.0 T. At 3.0 T, off-resonance dark band artifact on SSFP cine was absent in 3% (3/86), mild in 69% (59/86), moderate in 27% (23/86) and severe in 1% (1/86) of images; at 1.5 T, dark band artifact was absent in 16% (17/108), mild in 69% (75/108), moderate in 12% (13/108) and severe in 3% (3/108) of cine images. The signal-to-noise ratio and contrast-to-noise ratio of both SSFP cine and HR-CEMRA images were significantly higher at 3.0 T than at 1.5 T (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Signal-to-noise ratio and contrast-to-noise ratio of high-resolution contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography and SSFP cine were higher at 3.0 T than at 1.5 T. Artifacts on SSFP cine were cardiac phase specific and more prevalent at 3.0 T such that frequency-tuning was required in one-third of exams. In neonates, high spatial resolution CEMRA was highly reliable in defining extracardiac vascular anatomy.

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Title: High-field MR imaging in pediatric congenital heart disease: Initial results
Authors: Kim-Lien Nguyen
Sarah N. Khan
John M. Moriarty
Kiyarash Mohajer
Pierangelo Renella
Gary Satou
Ihab Ayad
Swati Patel
M. Ines Boechat
J. Paul Finn
Publication date: 01-01-2015
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in: Pediatric Radiology / Issue 1/2015
Print ISSN: 0301-0449
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1998
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-014-3093-y

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

High-field MR imaging in pediatric congenital heart disease: Initial results

Abstract

Background

Objective

Materials and methods

Results

Conclusion

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Objective

Materials and methods

Results

Conclusion

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