Publications

2007

Manning W, Nezafat R, Appelbaum E, Danias P, Hauser T, Yeon S. Coronary magnetic resonance imaging. Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am. 2007;15(4):609–37, vii.

This article highlights the technical challenges and general imaging strategies for coronary MRI. This is followed by a review of the clinical results for the assessment of anomalous CAD, coronary artery aneurysms, native vessel integrity, and coronary artery bypass graft disease using the more commonly applied MRI methods. It concludes with a brief discussion of the advantages/disadvantages and clinical results comparing coronary MRI with multidetector CT (MDCT) coronary angiography.

Nezafat R, Han Y, Peters D, Herzka D, Wylie J, Goddu B, Kissinger K, Yeon S, Zimetbaum P, Manning W. Coronary magnetic resonance vein imaging: imaging contrast, sequence, and timing. Magn Reson Med. 2007;58(6):1196–206.

Recently, there has been increased interest in imaging the coronary vein anatomy to guide interventional cardiovascular procedures such as cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), a device therapy for congestive heart failure (CHF). With CRT the lateral wall of the left ventricle is electrically paced using a transvenous coronary sinus lead or surgically placed epicardial lead. Proper transvenous lead placement is facilitated by the knowledge of the coronary vein anatomy. Cardiovascular MR (CMR) has the potential to image the coronary veins. In this study we propose and test CMR techniques and protocols for imaging the coronary venous anatomy. Three aspects of design of imaging sequence were studied: magnetization preparation schemes (T(2) preparation and magnetization transfer), imaging sequences (gradient-echo (GRE) and steady-state free precession (SSFP)), and imaging time during the cardiac cycle. Numerical and in vivo studies both in healthy and CHF subjects were performed to optimize and demonstrate the utility of CMR for coronary vein imaging. Magnetization transfer was superior to T(2) preparation for contrast enhancement. Both GRE and SSFP were viable imaging sequences, although GRE provided more robust results with better contrast. Imaging during the end-systolic quiescent period was preferable as it coincided with the maximum size of the coronary veins.

Yeon S, Sabir A, Clouse M, Martinezclark P, Peters D, Hauser T, Gibson M, Nezafat R, Maintz D, Manning W, Botnar R. Delayed-enhancement cardiovascular magnetic resonance coronary artery wall imaging: comparison with multislice computed tomography and quantitative coronary angiography. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2007;50(5):441–7.

OBJECTIVES: We examined whether delayed-enhancement cardiovascular magnetic resonance (DE-CMR) coronary artery wall imaging correlated with atherosclerosis detected by using multislice computed tomography (MSCT) and quantitative coronary angiography (QCA). BACKGROUND: The use of DE-CMR coronary vessel wall imaging may provide a noninvasive method to assess diseased coronary vessel walls. METHODS: We performed DE-CMR coronary artery wall imaging in 14 patients with cardiovascular risk factors and 6 healthy subjects without risk factors. RESULTS: A greater prevalence of strong DE was noted with greater MSCT evidence of disease, with DE in 2 (7%) of 30 coronary segments with no plaque by MSCT, in 1 (10%) of 10 segments with noncalcified plaque on MSCT, and in 16 (36%) of 44 segments with calcifications by MSCT (p = 0.009, adjusted p = 0.035). Delayed enhancement was observed in 8 (53%) of 15 segments with >20% coronary artery stenosis by QCA but also in 12 (15%) of 80 segments without angiographically apparent coronary disease (p = 0.004, adjusted p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The use of DE-CMR allowed us to identify areas of DE that correlate with severity of atherosclerosis by MSCT and QCA. This novel approach may be useful for the assessment of coronary vessel wall in patients with suspected coronary artery disease.

Manning W, Nezafat R, Appelbaum E, Danias P, Hauser T, Yeon S. Coronary magnetic resonance imaging. Cardiol Clin. 2007;25(1):141–70, vi.

2006

Peters DC Nezafat R, Nezafat R Kellman P, WJ M. Kz-dependent radial under-sampling with application to cardiac function imaging. Proc 18th Annual International Conference on Magnetic Resonance Angiography. 2006.

Schar M Nezafat R, Nezafat R Kellman P, M S, Boesiger, Kozerke. Improved transient balanced gradient echo coronary MRA at 3 Tesla employing binomial pre-saturation. variable-rate selective excitation and adiabatic T2-preparation J Cardiovasc Magn Reson 8(1) 76. 2006.

Nezafat R Kellman P, RB T, ER M. Rapid blood flow quantification using partial field of view phase contrast imaging. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson 8(1) 258. 2006.

Nezafat R Kellman P, M S, R O, AM G, MY D, ER M, RI P. Improved coronary MR angiography at 3T using adiabatic T2 Prep. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson 8 211. 2006.

Peters DC Nezafat R, Nezafat R Kellman P, Stehning C Nezafat R, E H, WJ M. 3D navigator-gated radial imaging of cardiac function. Proc Intl Soc Magn Reson Med Workshop in Cardiac Flow and Motion. 2006.

Nezafat R Kellman P, JA D, R O, ER M. Spectrally selective B1 insensitive T2 preparation sequence for 3T imaging. Proc Fourteenth Scientific Meeting of Int Soc Magn Reson Med 596. 2006.