Qualitative assessment of regional left ventricular function can predict MRI or radionuclide ejection fraction: an objective alternative to eyeball estimates.

Purpose: Assessment of left ventricular function is important in patients with heart disease. We hypothesized that regional wall motion assessed qualitatively by cine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can predict the left ventricular ejection fraction (EF).

Methods: The correlations between MRI EF and the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) score index and a modified ASE score index were established in 117 subjects.

Multislice first-pass cardiac perfusion MRI: validation in a model of myocardial infarction.

The purpose of this study was to validate a first-pass MRI method for imaging myocardial perfusion with multislice coverage and relatively small analyzable regions of interest (ROIs). A fast gradient-echo (FGRE) sequence with an echo-train (ET) readout was used to achieve multislice coverage, and a high dose of a contrast agent (CA) was used to achieve a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Dogs (N = 6) were studied 1 day after reperfused myocardial infarction, and fluorescent microspheres were used as a standard for perfusion.