Longitudinal Changes in Cardiac MRI-Derived Myocardial Tissue and Function Parameters in Heart Transplant Recipients

Motivation: Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is a significant long-term complication in heart transplant recipients, and cardiac MR offers a promising non-invasive method for monitoring its progression. Goal(s): To assess the longitudinal changes in cardiac MRI-derived tissue (T1, T2, ECV) and functional parameters in heart transplant recipients as potential markers of myocardial fibrosis, edema, and decreased function. Approach: Sixty-eight patients underwent cardiac MRI at least one year apart, with tissue parameters analyzed using MOLLI sequences and CVI42 software. Results: Increases in native T1 and ECV, and a decrease in T2 were observed, suggesting significant modifications of structural myocardial parameters in patients monitored for CAV longitudinally. Impact: The results from this study provide important insights into the longitudinal changes of myocardial tissue characteristics in HTx patients monitored for CAV, suggesting increased collagen deposition possibly driven by subclinical myocardial ischemia.