CMR studies were performed using a 1.5 T MR system (Siemens Avanto, Germany). CMR scans assessed LV function, T1-mapping, edema and LGE, with matching short-axis images. T1-mapping was performed using the novel sequence ShMOLLI (Shortened Modified Look-Locker Inversion Recovery) [16 (link)]; dark-blood and bright-blood T2w-CMR were performed with the STIR [8 (link)], and the ACUT2E [10 (link)] sequences, respectively. All were acquired before administration of contrast agents. A 32-channel phased-array chest coil was used for all data acquisition, except for STIR imaging for which the body coil was used. LGE imaging was acquired using a T1-weighted phase-sensitive sequence [18 (link)] 6–10 minutes after intravenous administration of contrast agent (Gadodiamide, Omniscan, GE Healthcare, UK, total 0.13 mmol/kg body weight at 6 ml/s).
Typical imaging parameters for SSFP cine imaging were: voxel size 2.0x2.0x8.0 mm, TR/TE 39.6/1.12 ms, flip angle 55o, matrix 192x192; ShMOLLI T1-maps are based on 5-7 images with specific TI = 100-5000 ms, collected using SSFP readouts in a single breath-hold, typically: TR/TE = 201.32/1.07 ms, flip angle = 35°, matrix = 192x144, 107 phase encoding steps, interpolated voxel size = 0.9x0.9x8mm, cardiac delay time TD = 500 ms; 206 ms acquisition time for single image; STIR [5 (link)]: voxel size 1.9x1.5x10.0 mm, matrix = 256x166, effective echo time TE = 61 ms, effective repetition time TR = 2 RR intervals during breath-hold, flip angle 180o, echo spacing 6.74 ms, TI = 170 ms, dark blood thickness 200 %, dark blood flip angle 180o, turbo factor 25, echo trains per slice = 7; ACUT2E TSE-SSFP: voxel size 1.9x1.5x8.0 mm, matrix = 165x256, TR/TE = 229.70/1.78 ms, effective TE = 98 ms, flip angle 180o, T2 prep duration = 24 ms, segments = 33, 5 shots per slice, bandwidth = 781 Hz/Px); phase-sensitive inversion recovery sequence: voxel size 2.0 x 1.5 x 8.0 mm, matrix 144x256, TR/TE = 800.20/3.36 ms, flip angle 25o).
Typical imaging parameters for SSFP cine imaging were: voxel size 2.0x2.0x8.0 mm, TR/TE 39.6/1.12 ms, flip angle 55o, matrix 192x192; ShMOLLI T1-maps are based on 5-7 images with specific TI = 100-5000 ms, collected using SSFP readouts in a single breath-hold, typically: TR/TE = 201.32/1.07 ms, flip angle = 35°, matrix = 192x144, 107 phase encoding steps, interpolated voxel size = 0.9x0.9x8mm, cardiac delay time TD = 500 ms; 206 ms acquisition time for single image; STIR [5 (link)]: voxel size 1.9x1.5x10.0 mm, matrix = 256x166, effective echo time TE = 61 ms, effective repetition time TR = 2 RR intervals during breath-hold, flip angle 180o, echo spacing 6.74 ms, TI = 170 ms, dark blood thickness 200 %, dark blood flip angle 180o, turbo factor 25, echo trains per slice = 7; ACUT2E TSE-SSFP: voxel size 1.9x1.5x8.0 mm, matrix = 165x256, TR/TE = 229.70/1.78 ms, effective TE = 98 ms, flip angle 180o, T2 prep duration = 24 ms, segments = 33, 5 shots per slice, bandwidth = 781 Hz/Px); phase-sensitive inversion recovery sequence: voxel size 2.0 x 1.5 x 8.0 mm, matrix 144x256, TR/TE = 800.20/3.36 ms, flip angle 25o).
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