Abstract #0075

Hoevelborn T, Kramer U, Miller S, May A, Fenchel M, Claussen C, Stauder N, Lodemann K, Klumpp B

Determination of myocardial viability by delayed enhancement MR-imaging (DE MRI) is increasingly used prior to myocardial revascularization. Aim of our study was the evaluation of the potential benefit of DE MRI at 3.0T. In our ongoing study 20 patients with chronic myocardial infarction are examined at 3.0T and 1.5T. Myocardial viability is assessed using an IR turbo FLASH sequence (0.1 mmol Gadobenate Dimeglumine / kg BW). SNR, CNR and image quality were significantly higher at 3.0T (3.0T/1.5T: SNRinfarction=30.2/19.1, p<0.005, SNRmyocardium=4.3/3.9, p>0.1, CNR=26/15.2, p<0.005). These advantages may be exploited to achieve higher spatial resolution, decrease acquisition times or reduce contrast dose.