Delayed enhancement MRI at 3.0 T is feasible and provides superior image quality compared with 1.5 T. Furthermore, using identical contrast doses, increased SNR and CNR values were recorded at 3.0 T.

Our study shows that stress perfusion CMRI can accurately predict relevant CAD and contributes to the identification of hemodynamic relevant stenoses in patients scheduled for coronary angiography.

No abstract

High resolution MMRSPI at 3 T using 1 M contrast agent under daily routine conditions provides reliable detection of stress-induced myocardial hypoperfusion with higher diagnostic accuracy than 1.5-T conditions.

For contrast-enhanced imaging techniques relying on strong T1 weighting, 3 T provides increased contrast compared with 1.5 T. The aim of our study was the intraindividual comparison of delayed enhancement MR imaging at 1.5 T and at 3 T. Twenty patients with myocardial infarction were examined at 1.5 T and 3 T. Fifteen minutes after injection of contrast agent (0.1 mmol gadobenate dimeglumine per kg body weight), inversion recovery gradient recalled echo (IR-GRE) sequences were acquired (1.5 T/3 T: TR 11.0/9.9 ms, TE 4.4/4.9 ms, flip 30 degrees /30 degrees , slice thickness 6/6 mm) to assess myocardial viability. Two observers rated image quality (Wilcoxon signed rank test). Quantification of hyperenhanced myocardium and standardized SNR/CNR measurements were performed (Student's t test). There was no significant difference with respect to image quality (1.5 T/3 T: 3.5/3.3, p = 0.34, reader 1; 2.4/2.7, p = 0.12, reader 2) and infarction size (760 +/- 566/828 +/- 677 mm(2) at 1.5 T, 808 +/- 639/826 +/- 726 mm(2) at 3 T, reader 1/reader 2, p > 0.05). Mean SNR in hyperenhanced/normal myocardium was 19.2/6.2 at 1.5 T and 29.5/8.8 at 3 T (p < 0.05). Mean CNR was 14.3 at 1.5 T and 26.0 at 3 T (p < 0.05). Delayed enhancement MR imaging at 3 T is a robust procedure yielding superior tissue contrast at 3 T compared with 1.5 T which is, however, not reflected by increased image quality.