Comprehensive, High definition Accelerated Non-invasive Cardiac MRI for Early diagnosis of patients with symptomatic heart disease

Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR) plays an important role in earlier recognition and characterization of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Two major drawbacks limit clinical use of state-of-the-art CMR: 1) Comprehensive CMR protocols are time consuming, typically exceeding 45 min and comprising multiple breath holds, which is expensive and uncomfortable for patients; 2) Several essential CMR methods rely on contrast agent injection. Long scan times will be overcome by development of a specialized 256-channel cardiac receive coil for clinical MR systems that will allow acceleration of current CMR acquisition methods up to an order of magnitude faster than currently possible. Development and implementation of endogenous CMR methods will obviate the need for contrast agents. Main outcome of this proposal will be a fast (<15 min), comprehensive and routinely applicable CMR protocol for earlier recognition of adverse myocardial remodeling in patients with suspected myocardial disease Third paragraph: explanation of the project’s approach and conceptualisation, and how this innovative solution will contribute to the previously described societal challenge(s).

Two important steps have been taken in the research project. First of all, a new MRI module (a coil) has been built with which images of the beating heart can be recorded ten times faster. In addition, new MRI methods are being developed that not only allow a faster and more extensive examination of heart function without contrast injection, but also allow the heart muscle itself to be examined in much more detail. A test in 200 patients showed that the new method corresponded well with the results obtained with contrast medium. CHANCE researchers have worked closely with the RADAR and ARGUS consortium on this project. The results from CHANCE need further validation.