Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging Using an Open 1.0T MR Platform: A Comparative Study with a 1.5T Tunnel System

Background: Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) has become the non-invasive reference standard for the evaluation of cardiac function and viability. The introduction of open, high-field, 1.0T (HFO) MR scanners offers advantages for examinations of obese, claustrophobic and paediatric patients. The aim of our study was to compare standard cMRI sequences from an HFO scanner and those from a cylindrical, 1.5T MR system.

Material/Method: Fifteen volunteers underwent cMRI both in an open HFO and in a cylindrical MR system. The protocol consisted of cine and unenhanced tissue sequences. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for each sequence and blood-myocardium contrast for the cine sequences were assessed. Image quality and artefacts were rated. The location and number of non-diagnostic segments was determined. Volunteers’ tolerance to examinations in both scanners was investigated.

Results: SNR was significantly lower in the HFO scanner (all p<0.001). However, the contrast of the cine sequence was significantly higher in the HFO platform compared to the 1.5T MR scanner (0.685±0.41 vs. 0.611±0.54; p<0.001). Image quality was comparable for all sequences (all p>0.05). Overall, only few non-diagnostic myocardial segments were recorded: 6/960 (0.6%) by the HFO and 17/960 (1.8%) segments by the cylindrical system. The volunteers expressed a preference for the open MR system (p<0.01).

Conclusions: Standard cardiac MRI sequences in an HFO platform offer a high image quality that is comparable to the quality of images acquired in a cylindrical 1.5T MR scanner. An open scanner design may potentially improve tolerance of cardiac MRI and therefore allow to examine an even broader patient spectrum.