Optimized detection of myocardial injury and inflammation in acute myocarditis with T1ρ mapping cardiovascular magnetic resonance

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Julian Alexander Luetkens
• Subject Area: Radiology
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 554929370

Reliable diagnosis of myocarditis is important for clinical management and follow-up, as some patients with acute myocarditis may develop complications like arrhythmogenic events or dilated cardiomyopathy. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) can detect myocarditis; however, currently employed sequence techniques have specific disadvantages or require contrast. An additional quantitative CMR parameter is desirable, one that does not need contrast, has a weighting beyond established CMR methods, and can identify adverse remodeling on follow-up. Myocardial T1ρ mapping may be such a novel and promising parametric CMR marker. T1ρ is the T1 relaxation time in the rotating frame that represents longitudinal relaxation in the presence of an on-resonance spin-lock radiofrequency field. T1ρ is sensitive to interactions between water and macromolecules and is elevated in edema and fibrosis. We developed and tested a prototype T1ρ mapping sequence for clinical use. The T1ρ mapping sequence will be integrated into the clinical scan protocol of patients with suspected acute myocarditis. The diagnostic utility of T1ρ to detect acute myocarditis will be tested in a case-control study. Additionally, patients with acute myocarditis will be followed up to evaluate how T1ρ relaxation times change during the course of the disease.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigator: Professor Dr. Sebastian Zimmer