Accurate evaluation of myocardial scars based on late gadolinium enhancement of gray blood: An animal experimental study

Motivation: Bright-blood late gadolinium enhancement (BB-LGE) is imprecise in evaluating subendocardial myocardial scars. However, gray-blood LGE (GB-LGE) effectively delineates myocardial scars, especially the endocardial scar, but the related research is limited. Goal(s): To evaluate the accuracy of GB-LGE in displaying myocardial scars through animal experiments. Approach: BB-LGE and GB-LGE data of 5 pigs with myocardial infarction were obtained using cardiovascular magnetic resonance. The LGE quantification, image quality score, and signal-to-noise ratio of the two sequences were compared. Results: GB-LGE improved the LGE image quality, and quantified the myocardial scar precisely. Impact: The GB-LGE sequence with TI setting was easy to access and provided improved image quality, demonstrating great advantages in displaying the fibrous scar of myocardial infarction and is suitable for clinical promotion for personalized management of cardiovascular diseases.