3D Whole-Heart Coronary Magnetic Resonance Angiography at 0.55T: A Clinical Feasibility Study in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease

Motivation: Low-field (<1T) MRI is gaining interest and may provide a solution to traditional high purchase and running costs. Goal(s): To utilise 3D coronary MRA (CMRA) at 0.55T to assess coronary anatomy in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Approach: Seventeen patients with suspected CVD were scanned using 3D CMRA at 0.55T. Each coronary artery was assessed for image quality and presence of coronary artery disease. Results: The mean image quality score for each vessel was, LAD: 3.1 (SD=0.8); LCx: 2.8 (SD=0.8); RCA: 3.5 (SD=0.5). Average scan time was ~8 minutes. Coronary artery disease was successfully detected. Impact: This work demonstrates the feasibility of coronary artery assessment using 3D CMRA at 0.55T in patients with cardiovascular disease.