Alexander Gotschy1,2,3, Constantin von Deuster1, Lucas Weber4, Mareike Gastl5, Martin O. Schmiady6, Robbert J. H. van Gorkum1, Jochen von Spiczak1,4, Robert Manka2,4, Sebastian Kozerke1, and Christian T. Stoeck1
1Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland, 2Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland, 3Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, United Kingdom, 4Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland, 5Division of Cardiology, Pulmonology and Vascular Medicine, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany, 6Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
CMR diffusion
tensor imaging (CMR DTI) allows for the assessment of cardiac microstructure in
diseased hearts. We investigated changes of myocardial diffusion properties and
myocyte orientation in patients with aortic stenosis (AS) before and after
valve replacement (AVR) using DTI and T1-mapping. Mean diffusivity (MD),
fractional anisotropy (FA), E2A sheet angle and the transmural helix angle
(HA)-slope were altered in AS patients, while native T1 was not significantly
different. After AVR, the HA-slope was the only parameter with reversible changes,
whereas MD, FA and E2A remained abnormal. This study indicates that AS-induced
alterations of myocardial microstructure partly persist following AVR.
