Time-resolved multifrequency cardiac MR elastography of the in-vivo human heart using a segmented gradient echo spiral sequence.

Motivation: Abnormal changes in myocardial stiffness during the cardiac cycle are a potential biomarker for cardiac diseases. However, there is currently no established MR-method for time-resolved mapping of cardiac stiffness. Goal(s): To demonstrate the reproducibility of time-resolved stiffness mapping of the in-vivo human heart over the cardiac cycle by MR elastography (MRE). Approach: Eleven healthy volunteers were examined twice using multifrequency cardiac-triggered, segmented gradient echo spiral MRE for stiffness mapping of the left ventricular myocardium in a short-axis view. Results: Excellent, good, and moderate reproducibility was achieved for isovolumetric contraction, systolic, and diastolic phases, respectively. Significant differences among all phases were apparent. Impact: The achieved high reproducibility of cardiac multifrequency MRE, together with its ability to identify distinct time-resolved stiffness levels during the cardiac phases of isovolumetric contraction, systole and diastole, could potentially detect stiffness related cardiac pathology in early disease stages.