Heart Failure with preserved Ejection Fraction is common, associated with high morbidity and mortality, and is challenging to diagnose. We have developed a novel patient friendly non-invasive technique to quantify myocardial stiffness using transient MR Elastography. Aortic valve closure results in the propagation of a transient shear wave through the myocardium. Torsional wave propagation can be visualised using a 1D pencil beam navigator positioned longitudinally along the myocardial septum, using four breath holds each 15 seconds. Providing a temporal resolution of 0.3ms, we observe increased myocardial stiffness in HFpEF patients compared to healthy volunteers (torsional speed 5.5 ± 1.1 m/s in volunteers and 10.0 ± 0.7 m/s in Patients; stiffness 36 ± 12.0 kPa and 108 ± 15.2 kPa, respectively) .
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