Effects of age, gender, and risk-factors for heart failure on native myocardial T1 and extracellular volume fraction using the SASHA sequence at 1.5T

Abstract

Background: Understanding cardiac MR T₁ mapping values might require examination of the effects of age, gender, and heart failure risk factors.

Purpose/hypothesis: To evaluate the effects of gender, age, and presence of heart failure risk factors on myocardial native T₁ and extracellular volume fraction (ECV).

Study type: Retrospective, cross-sectional, observational study.

Population: Secondary analysis of cardiac MR data, separated by gender and health status, based on the presence of at least one heart failure risk factor.

Field strength/sequence: Cardiac MR imaging at 1.5T, including T₁ mapping using the SAturation recovery single-SHot Acquisition (SASHA) sequence.

Assessment: Interventricular septal region-of-interest analysis for assessment of native T1 and ECV.

Statistical tests: Group comparisons performed using Student t-test, or nonparametric equivalent. Linear regression was used to assess relationships between age and T₁ measurements.

Results: Native T₁ and ECV were available in 187 and 143 subjects, respectively. T₁ and ECV were independent of age in all groups (Native T₁ : healthy women P = 0.655; healthy men P = 0.906; at-risk women P = 0.487; at-risk men P = 0.683; ECV: healthy women P = 0.685; healthy men P = 0.199; at-risk women P = 0.152; at-risk men P = 0.747). T₁ and ECV were higher in healthy women versus men (1202 ± 30 ms versus 1167 ± 36 ms, P = 0.0000 and 22 ± 2% versus 20 ± 2%, P = 0.0089), while values were similar in women and men with risk factors (1197 ± 55 ms versus 1193 ± 45 ms, P = 0.6556, 21 ± 2% versus 21 ± 3%, P = 0.5039). No differences existed in native T₁ or ECV between women with or without risk factors (P = 0.6344 and P = 0.1026), whereas men with risk factors showed higher native T₁ values (P = 0.0070).

Data conclusion: Native T₁ and ECV measured with SASHA do not vary with age, regardless of gender or the presence of factors for heart failure. Native T₁ and ECV are higher in healthy women than men, but do not differ in the presence of risk factors, suggesting a different myocardial response to risk factors between genders.

Level of evidence: 3 Technical Efficacy: Stage 3 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2018;47:1307-1317.

Keywords: T1 mapping; aging; extracellular volume; gender; remodeling; risk factors.