Cardiac magnetic resonance left ventricular quantitative analysis post gadolinium: reliable and reproducible?

Background Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is widely accepted as the gold standard in the assessment of LV volume and function. To date this assumption has been based on analysis of unenhanced gradient echo cine imaging. In certain clinical scenarios the use of gadolinium contrast is required for the evaluation of myocardial perfusion and late contrast enhancement. By performing an LV cine stack between the perfusion and late enhancement sequences the total scan duration can be reduced. However, it is possible that post contrast image acquisition alters endocardial and epicardial border detection and therefore affects the results of ventricular functional analysis (Fig. 1).