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Comparative Study
. 2011 Dec;34(6):1367-73.
doi: 10.1002/jmri.22753. Epub 2011 Sep 23.

Myocardial T1 mapping with MRI: comparison of look-locker and MOLLI sequences

Marcelo Souto Nacif  1 , Evrim B Turkbey, Neville Gai, Saman Nazarian, Rob J van der Geest, Radwa A Noureldin, Christopher T Sibley, Martin Ugander, Songtao Liu, Andrew E Arai, João A C Lima, David A Bluemke
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Myocardial T1 mapping with MRI: comparison of look-locker and MOLLI sequences

Marcelo Souto Nacif et al. J Magn Reson Imaging. 2011 Dec.

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between "Look-Locker" (LL) and modified Look-Locker Inversion recovery (MOLLI) approaches for T1 mapping of the myocardium.

Materials and methods: A total of 168 myocardial T1 maps using MOLLI and 165 maps using LL were obtained in human subjects at 1.5 Tesla. The T1 values of the myocardium were calculated before and at five time points after gadolinium administration. All time and heart rate normalizations were done. The T1 values obtained were compared to determine the absolute and bias agreement.

Results: The precontrast global T1 values were similar when measured by the LL and by MOLLI technique (mean, 1004.9 ms ± 120.3 versus 1034.1 ms ± 53.1, respectively, P = 0.26). Postcontrast myocardial T1 time from LL was significantly longer than MOLLI from 5 to 25 min (mean difference, LL - MOLLI was +61.8 ± 46.4 ms, P < 0.001). No significant differences in T1 values were noted between long and short axis measurements for either MOLLI or LL.

Conclusion: Postcontrast LL and MOLLI showed very good agreement, although LL values are higher than MOLLI. Precontrast T1 values showed good agreement, however LL has greater limits of agreement. Short and long axis planes can reliably assess T1 values.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A) LL T1 fitting map after 10 minutes of contrast administration (average T1 time 479ms) and B) fitting curve using MASS software (MASS V2010-EXP, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands).
Figure 2
Figure 2
A) MOLLI Color map after 10 minutes of contrast administration (T1 time 482 ms) using MRmap software and B) Fitting curve of the same study as on Figure 1.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Bland-Altman analysis to express the intrasequence agreement of the myocardial T1 values using Look-Locker. The mean difference (bias) is represented by the black line and the 95% limits of agreement limit are represented by the gray lines. (A) Pre-contrast. (B) Post-contrast.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Bland-Altman analysis to express the intrasequence agreement of the myocardial T1 values using MOLLI. The mean difference (bias) is represented by the black line and the 95% limits of agreement limit are represented by the gray lines. (A) Pre-contrast. (B) Post-contrast.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Bland-Altman analysis to express the intersequence agreement of the myocardial T1 values using LL compared to MOLLI. The mean difference (bias) is represented by the black line and the 95% limits of agreement limit are represented by the gray lines. (A) Pre-contrast. (B) Post-contrast.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Mean myocardial T1 relaxation times for each acquisition before and after gadolinium administration using MOLLI (black) and LL (gray). (Pre = pre-contrast acquisition time).
Figure 7
Figure 7
Gadolinium washout curve from 5 to 25 minutes after the contrast injection for MOLLI and LL sequences show good consistency for both methods with similar curve fit to an exponential model (r2>0.99 for both methods).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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