BackgroundTo compare 11 heartbeat (HB) and 17 HB modified lock locker inversion recovery (MOLLI) pulse sequence at 3T and to establish preliminary reference values for myocardial T1 and the extracellular volume fraction (ECV).MethodsBoth phantoms and normal volunteers were scanned at 3T using 11 HB and 17 HB MOLLI sequence with the following parameters: spatial resolution = 1.75 × 1.75 × 10 mm on a 256 × 180 matrix, TI initial = 110 ms, TI increment = 80 ms, flip angle = 35°, TR/TE = 1.9/1.0 ms. All volunteers were administered Gadolinium-DTPA (Magnevist, 0.15 mmol/kg), and multiple post-contrast MOLLI scans were performed at the same pre-contrast position from 3.5-23.5 minutes after a bolus contrast injection. Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) images were also acquired 12-30 minutes after the gadolinium bolus.ResultsT1 values of 11 HB and 17 HB MOLLI displayed good agreement in both phantom and volunteers. The average pre-contrast myocardial and blood T1 was 1315 ± 39 ms and 2020 ± 129 ms, respectively. ECV was stable between 8.5 to 23.5 minutes post contrast with an average of 26.7 ± 1.0%.ConclusionThe 11 HB MOLLI is a faster method for high-resolution myocardial T1 mapping at 3T. ECV fractions are stable over a wide time range after contrast administration.

Background-Myocardial fibrosis reflects excess collagen deposition in the extracellular left ventricular matrix, which has been associated with heart failure (HF). No studies have addressed the relation between fibrosis biomarkers and HF in the elderly. Methods and Results-Serum fibrosis markers were measured in 880 participants of the Cardiovascular Health Study (mean age 77Ϯ6 years, 48% women). Participants with systolic HF (nϭ131, left ventricular ejection fraction Ͻ55%) and those with diastolic HF (nϭ179, left ventricular ejection fraction Ն55%) were compared with controls (280 with cardiovascular risk factors, and 279 healthy individuals) using a nested case-control design. Fibrosis markers included carboxyl-terminal peptide of procollagen type I, carboxyl-terminal telopeptide of collagen type I, and amino-terminal peptide of procollagen type III. Echocardiography was used to document systolic and diastolic function parameters. Analysis of variance and logistic regression analysis (per tertile odds ratios [OR]), adjusted by age, gender, race, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, coronary heart disease, baseline serum glucose, serum cystatin C, serum creatinine, C-reactive protein, any angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, spironolactone or any diuretic, NT-proBNP, and total bone mineral density were performed. Systolic HF was associated with significantly elevated carboxyl-terminal telopeptide of collagen type I (ORϭ2.6; 95% CIϭ1.2 to 5.7) and amino-terminal peptide of procollagen type III (ORϭ3.3; 95% CIϭ1.6 to 5.8), when adjusting for covariates. Associations of diastolic HF were significant for carboxyl-terminal telopeptide of collagen type I (ORϭ3.9; 95% CIϭ1.9 to 8.3) and amino-terminal peptide of procollagen type III (ORϭ2.7; 95% CIϭ1.4 to 5.4). HF was not associated with elevated carboxyl-terminal peptide of procollagen type I (PϾ0.10), and fibrosis markers did not significantly differ between HF with diastolic versus those with systolic dysfunction (PϾ0.10) whereas NT-proBNP mean values were higher in systolic heart failure than in diastolic heart failure (PϽ0.0001). Conclusions-Fibrosis markers are significantly elevated in elderly individuals with diastolic or systolic HF. These associations remained significant when adjusting for covariates relevant to the aging process. (Circ Heart Fail. 2009; 2:303-310.)

There is a high prevalence of fat deposition in healed MI. It is associated with post-infarction characteristics including infarct volume, LV mass, wall thickness, wall thickening, and wall motion.