Gender Differences in Native Myocardial T1 in a Healthy Chinese Volunteer Cohort

Effects of age, gender, and risk‐factors for heart failure on native myocardial T1 and extracellular volume fraction using the SASHA sequence at 1.5T

“…The findings of the current study show that in healthy individuals without risk factors for the development of heart failure, women have higher native myocardial T 1 and ECV values, and thus gender has to be factored into the definition of their normal ranges. These findings are in agreement with previous studies examining healthy individuals without risk factors that have also shown increased ECV or native T 1 values in women as compared to men, using the EQ‐CMR, 5(3)3 MOLLI acquisition, and ShMOLLI techniques, respectively. However, there are previous studies that have not identified a gender difference, using the original 3(3)3(3)5 MOLLI acquisition and a cine Look‐Locker sequence, respectively.…”

“…While a small number of studies have shown age dependence in healthy individuals, for example a decrease in native T 1 in women with increasing age or an age‐related increase in ECV, the findings of the current study are in line with multiple publications that show an absence of age‐related changes for native T 1 and/or ECV in healthy cohorts free of cardiovascular risk factors …”

“…While a small number of studies have shown age dependence in healthy individuals, for example a decrease in native T 1 in women with increasing age 26,32 or an agerelated increase in ECV, 33 the findings of the current study are in line with multiple publications that show an absence of age-related changes for native T 1 and/or ECV in healthy cohorts free of cardiovascular risk factors. 24,25,27,34,35 While the current study showed that the independence of native T 1 and ECV with age was also maintained in the at-risk group for either gender, previous studies have shown a positive correlation between ECV and age in patients with risk factors for cardiovascular disease, suggesting increasing fibrosis with aging with exposure to risk factors. 27,35,36 However, direct comparisons between studies is hampered by heterogeneity between the study populations, with potential differences in prevalence and/or duration of risk factors.…”

Cardiac T1 mapping: Techniques and applications

“…Interpretation of any quantitative diagnostic test requires a normal reference range for comparison and this has been a major limitation for the integration of T 1 mapping into mainstream clinical use. Several groups have attempted to provide a range of normal values, but a range exists depending on the magnet strength and protocol used (Table ) . Development of the normal range has been challenging for native T 1 and ECV values due partly to the large number of T 1 mapping techniques available without standardization of how techniques are validated, compared, and reported in the literature.…”

The Prognostic Role of T1 Mapping Sequences: Can T1 Mapping Parameters Have a Role in Risk Stratification?

“…Risk scores, particularly the new 2013 American Heart Association/AtheroSclerotic Cardiovascular Disease risk score, did not correlate with any CMR fibrosis index [17]. Bulluck et al [18] recently reported that myocardial native T1 values correlated with blood T1 and heart rate. However, even after adjustment for heart rate and blood T1, females had higher native T1 values, so gender-specific T1 values should be established at each center.…”