Jeanette Schulz-Menger

Publications (132)615.45 Total impact

• Article: Standardized image interpretation and post processing in cardiovascular magnetic resonance: Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR) Board of Trustees Task Force on Standardized Post Processing.

  Jeanette Schulz-Menger, David A Bluemke, Jens Bremerich, Scott D Flamm, Mark A Fogel, Matthias G Friedrich, Raymond J Kim, Florian von Knobelsdorff-Brenkenhoff, Christopher M Kramer, Dudley J Pennell, Sven Plein, Eike Nagel
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  ABSTRACT: With mounting data on its accuracy and prognostic value, cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is becoming an increasingly important diagnostic tool with growing utility in clinical routine. Given its versatility and wide range of quantitative parameters, however, agreement on specific standards for the interpretation and post-processing of CMR studies is required to ensure consistent quality and reproducibility of CMR reports. This document addresses this need by providing consensus recommendations developed by the Task Force for Post Processing of the Society for Cardiovascular MR (SCMR). The aim of the task force is to recommend requirements and standards for image interpretation and post processing enabling qualitative and quantitative evaluation of CMR images. Furthermore, pitfalls of CMR image analysis are discussed where appropriate.
  Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance 05/2013; 15(1):35. · 3.72 Impact Factor
• Article: Fatty acid binding protein 4 predicts left ventricular mass and longitudinal function in overweight and obese women.

  Stefan Engeli, Wolfgang Utz, Sven Haufe, Valéria Lamounier-Zepter, Martin Pofahl, Julius Traber, Jürgen Janke, Friedrich C Luft, Michael Boschmann, Jeanette Schulz-Menger, Jens Jordan
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  ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVE: To explore whether increased adipocyte-derived serum fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) predisposes to cardiac remodelling and left ventricular dysfunction in human obesity. DESIGN: Cross-sectional investigation. SETTING: Academic clinical research centre. PATIENTS: 108 overweight and obese non-diabetic women (body-mass index 33±5 kg/m&sup2;). INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Relationship between serum FABP4 and abdominal adipose tissue quantified by MRI. Relationship between serum FABP4 and left ventricular morphology and function assessed by cardiac MRI. RESULTS: FABP4 was independently associated with visceral abdominal adipose tissue (β=0.34, p<0.01) and subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue (β=0.22, p<0.05). After stratification into serum FABP4 tertiles, left ventricular masses were 92±16 g, 86±13 g and 81±12 g in women with high, intermediate and low FABP4 concentrations (p<0.01), respectively. Longitudinal systolic function was reduced by 8% in women with intermediate and high versus low FABP4 concentrations (p<0.01), whereas ejection fraction did not differ among tertiles (p=0.5). In multivariate linear analysis FABP4 remained an independent predictor of left ventricular mass (β=0.17, p<0.05) and reduced longitudinal fractional shortening (β=0.21, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In overweight and obese women, FABP4 showed an independent association with parameters of left ventricular remodelling.
  Heart (British Cardiac Society) 04/2013; · 4.22 Impact Factor
• Article: Variability and homogeneity of cardiovascular magnetic resonance myocardial T2-mapping in volunteers compared to patients with edema.

  Ralf Wassmuth, Marcel Prothmann, Wolfgang Utz, Matthias Dieringer, Florian von Knobelsdorff-Brenkenhoff, Andreas Greiser, Jeanette Schulz-Menger
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  ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to test the reproducibility and variability of myocardial T2 mapping in relation to sequence type and spatial orientation in a large group of healthy volunteers. For control T2 mapping was also applied in patients with true edema. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) T2-mapping has potential for the detection and quantification of myocardial edema. Clinical experience is limited so far. The variability and potential pitfalls in broad application are unknown. METHODS: Healthy volunteers (n = 73, 35 +/- 13 years) and patients with edema (n = 28, 55 +/- 17 years) underwent CMR at 1.5 T. Steady state free precession (SSFP) cine loops and T2-weighted spin echo images were obtained. In patients, additionally late gadolinium enhancement images were acquired. We obtained T2 maps in midventricular short axis (SAX) and four-chamber view (4CV) based on images with T2 preparation times of 0, 24, 55 ms and compared fast low angle shot (FLASH) and SSFP readout. 10 volunteers were scanned twice on separate days. Two observers analysed segmental and global T2 per slice. RESULTS: In volunteers global myocardial T2 systematically differed depending on image orientation and sequence (FLASH 52 +/- 5 vs. SSFP 55 +/- 5 ms in SAX and 57 +/- 6 vs. 59 +/- 6 ms in 4CV; p < 0.0001 for both). Anteroseptal and apical segments had higher T2 than inferior and basal segments (SAX: 59 +/- 6 vs. 48 +/- 5 ms for FLASH and 59 +/- 7 vs. 52 +/- 4 ms for SSFP; p < 0.0001 for both). 14 volunteers had segments with T2 >= 70 ms. Mean intraobserver variability was 1.07 +/- 1.03 ms (r = 0.94); interobserver variability was 1.6 +/- 1.5 ms (r = 0.87). The coefficient of variation for repeated scans was 7.6% for SAX and 6.6% for 4CV. Mapping revealed focally increased T2 (73 +/- 9 vs. 51 +/- 3 ms in remote myocardium; p < 0.0001) in all patients with edema. CONCLUSIONS: Myocardial T2 mapping is technically feasible and highly reproducible. It can detect focal edema und differentiate it from normal myocardium. Increased T2 was found in some volunteers most likely due to partial volume and residual motion.
  Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance 03/2013; 15(1):27. · 3.72 Impact Factor
• Article: Assessment of the right ventricle with cardiovascular magnetic resonance at 7 Tesla.

  Florian von Knobelsdorff-Brenkenhoff, Valeriy Tkachenko, Lukas Winter, Jan Rieger, Christof Thalhammer, Fabian Hezel, Andreas Graessl, Matthias A Dieringer, Thoralf Niendorf, Jeanette Schulz-Menger
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  ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Functional and morphologic assessment of the right ventricle (RV) is of clinical importance. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) at 1.5T has become gold standard for RV chamber quantification and assessment of even small wall motion abnormalities, but tissue analysis is still hampered by limited spatial resolution. CMR at 7T promises increased resolution, but is technically challenging. We examined the feasibility of cine imaging at 7T to assess the RV. METHODS: Nine healthy volunteers underwent CMR at 7T using a 16-element TX/RX coil and acoustic cardiac gating. 1.5T served as gold standard. At 1.5T, steady-state free-precession (SSFP) cine imaging with voxel size (1.2x1.2x6) mm3 was used; at 7T, fast gradient echo (FGRE) with voxel size (1.2x1.2x6) mm3 and (1.3x1.3x4) mm3 were applied. RV dimensions (RVEDV, RVESV), RV mass and RV function (RVEF) were quantified in transverse slices. Overall image quality, image contrast and image homogeneity were assessed in transverse and sagittal views. RESULTS: All scans provided diagnostic image quality. Overall image quality and image contrast of transverse RV views were rated equally for SSFP at 1.5T and FGRE at 7T with voxel size (1.3x1.3x4)mm3. FGRE at 7T provided significantly lower image homogeneity compared to SSFP at 1.5T. RVEDV, RVESV, RVEF and RVM did not differ significantly and agreed close between SSFP at 1.5T and FGRE at 7T (p=0.5850; p=0.5462; p=0.2789; p=0.0743). FGRE at 7T with voxel size (1.3x1.3x4) mm3 tended to overestimate RV volumes compared to SSFP at 1.5T (mean difference of RVEDV 8.2+/-9.3ml) and to FGRE at 7T with voxel size (1.2x1.2x6) mm3 (mean difference of RVEDV 9.3+/-8.6ml). CONCLUSIONS: FGRE cine imaging of the RV at 7T was feasible and provided good image quality. RV dimensions and function were comparable to SSFP at 1.5T as gold standard.
  Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance 03/2013; 15(1):23. · 3.72 Impact Factor
• Article: Isometric handgrip exercise during cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging: Set-up and cardiovascular effects.

  Florian von Knobelsdorff-Brenkenhoff, Matthias A Dieringer, Katharina Fuchs, Fabian Hezel, Thoralf Niendorf, Jeanette Schulz-Menger
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  ABSTRACT: PURPOSE: To establish a suitable setup for combining isometric handgrip exercise with cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging and to assess cardiovascular effects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-three healthy volunteers (31 males, mean age 45 ± 17 years) underwent handgrip exercise in a 3T scanner using a prototype handgrip system and a custom-made feedback system that displayed the force. Handgrip was sustained at 30% of the maximal contraction for 6-8 minutes. Heart rate, blood pressure (BP), and double product were determined sequentially. Stroke volume was quantified in a subgroup (n = 21) at rest and stress using phase contrast acquisitions. RESULTS: Heart rate increased significantly between rest and stress by 20 ± 13%, systolic / diastolic / mean BP by 15 ± 11% / 20 ± 18% / 17 ± 13%, double product by 37 ± 21%, and cardiac output by 27 ± 16% (each P < 0.001). Stroke volume did not significantly increase (3 ± 9%; P = 0.215). Higher age was associated with reduced increase of stroke volume (P = 0.022) and cardiac output (P < 0.001). Overweight subjects showed less increases in heart rate (P = 0.021) and cardiac output (P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: The handgrip exercise during CMR with the presented set-up leads to considerable hemodynamic changes in healthy volunteers. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2013;. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
  Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging 01/2013; · 2.70 Impact Factor
• Source

  Available from: Matthias G. Friedrich

  Dataset: Eitel JAMA 2011

  Ingo Eitel, Florian von Knobelsdorff-Brenkenhoff, Peter Bernhardt, Iacopo Carbone, Kai Muellerleile, Annachiara Aldrovandi, Marco Francone, Steffen Desch, Matthias Gutberlet, Oliver Strohm, Gerhard Schuler, Jeanette Schulz-Menger, Holger Thiele, Matthias G Friedrich
• Source

  Available from: Oliver Bruder

  Dataset: 07003

  Oliver Bruder, Steffen Schneider, Detlef Nothnagel, Thorsten Dill, Vinzenz Hombach, Jeanette Schulz-Menger, Eike Nagel, Massimo Lombardi, Albert C van Rossum, Anja Wagner, Juerg Schwitter, Jochen Senges, Georg V Sabin, Udo Sechtem, Heiko Mahrholdt
• Article: Aortic valve replacement in asymptomatic and symptomatic patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction.

  Olaf Schulz, Debora Brala, Ricarda Bensch, Jochen Krämer, Jeanette Schulz-Menger, Gunnar Berghoefer, Ingolf Schimke
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  ABSTRACT: Patients with moderate-severe aortic stenosis (AS) who maintain that they have no symptoms pose a decision-making dilemma. In order to determine whether or not preoperative symptoms were related to outcomes in these patients, results were compared after aortic valve replacement (AVR) in asymptomatic and symptomatic AS patients with a preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Twenty asymptomatic and 18 symptomatic AS patients were investigated retrospectively, with clinical and echocardiographic studies being performed before and at 610 +/- 409 days after AVR. The patients' cardiopulmonary function was monitored using spiroergometry. Symptomatic AS patients improved their exercise tolerance after surgery more than asymptomatic patients, although exercise tolerance and LVEF remained lower in symptomatic patients. On comparing all postoperative objective changes between the groups, a difference was observed only for aortic valve area index. Improvements in left ventricular structure, diastolic function, and filling pressures after AVR were similar in both groups. Systolic function, as assessed by tissue Doppler, was improved only in the symptomatic group. Regression analyses identified preoperative exercise tolerance as the strongest independent determinant of postoperative functional outcome. The postoperative LVEF was independently predicted by the preoperative LVEF and exercise tolerance. Asymptomatic patients with moderate-severe AS and preserved systolic function exhibited similar improvements in cardiac remodeling, diastolic function, and filling pressures following AVR, compared to symptomatic patients. Differences in exercise tolerance and systolic function observed preoperatively between these groups were decreased after AVR.
  The Journal of heart valve disease 09/2012; 21(5):576-83. · 0.81 Impact Factor
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  Available from: Helmar Waiczies

  Article: Functional and Morphological Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Mice Using a Cryogenic Quadrature Radiofrequency Coil

  Babette Wagenhaus, Andreas Pohlmann, Matthias Alexander Dieringer, Antje Els, Helmar Waiczies, Sonia Waiczies, Jeanette Schulz-Menger, Thoralf Niendorf
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  ABSTRACT: Cardiac morphology and function assessment by magnetic resonance imaging is of increasing interest for a variety of mouse models in pre-clinical cardiac research, such as myocardial infarction models or myocardial injury/remodeling in genetically or pharmacologically induced hypertension. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) constraints, however, limit image quality and blood myocardium delineation, which crucially depend on high spatial resolution. Significant gains in SNR with a cryogenically cooled RF probe have been shown for mouse brain MRI, yet the potential of applying cryogenic RF coils for cardiac MR (CMR) in mice is, as of yet, untapped. This study examines the feasibility and potential benefits of CMR in mice employing a 400 MHz cryogenic RF surface coil, compared with a conventional mouse heart coil array operating at room temperature. The cryogenic RF coil affords SNR gains of 3.0 to 5.0 versus the conventional approach and hence enables an enhanced spatial resolution. This markedly improved image quality – by better deliniation of myocardial borders and enhanced depiction of papillary muscles and trabeculae – and facilitated a more accurate cardiac chamber quantification, due to reduced intraobserver variability. In summary the use of a cryogenically cooled RF probe represents a valuable means of enhancing the capabilities of CMR of mice. Copyright: ß 2012 Wagenhaus et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
  PLoS ONE 08/2012; · 4.09 Impact Factor
• Article: Design, construction, and evaluation of a dynamic MR compatible cardiac left ventricle model.

  Matthias A Dieringer, Jan Hentschel, Thiago de Quadros, Florian von Knobelsdorff-Brenkenhoff, Werner Hoffmann, Thoralf Niendorf, Jeanette Schulz-Menger
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  ABSTRACT: Development of magnetic resonance (MR) sequences is important to answer clinical questions and to overcome current limitations. To meet the challenges of cardiac MR, dynamic and reproducible testing conditions are required. We aimed at developing a dynamic MR-compatible cardiac left ventricle model that imitates myocardial tissue properties and simulates dynamic motion. A dynamic left ventricle silicone model was designed to match myocardial T(1) and T(2) relaxation times. Silicone mixtures were explored to replicate T(2) values of myocardial edema. A controllable piston pump was constructed to produce pulsatile flow paradigms. They were validated against flow sensors and MR data, including SSFP-based and phase-contrast-based sequences. A dedicated software interface was developed for the control. Model dimensions represented cardiac left ventricle dimensions of healthy men. The range of end diastolic volumes was 85-175 ml, depending on the driven stroke volume. Stroke volume quantification for flow paradigms of 30∕60∕90∕120 ml resulted in 29.2∕57.6∕88.8∕118.4 ml by MR volumetry, 29.6∕59.9∕89.4∕119.0 ml by phase contrast measurements, and 29.9∕60.4∕91.1∕120.9 ml by flow meter revealing consistency. The system accurately replicated physiological and pathophysiological flow paradigms. The silicon model exhibited T(1) of 1002 ± 8 ms, T(2) of 58 ± 1 ms. Signal intensities (a.u.) of the ventricle model were 128 ± 23 for FGRE (vs 138 ± 17 in vivo) and 1156 ± 37 for b-SSFP (vs 991 ± 96 in vivo). T(2) of 75 ± 2 ms was achieved for the myocardial pathology. We developed a controllable left ventricle model resembling MR signal characteristics of human myocardium, including pathological conditions, and allowing for the replication of contraction and flow paradigms.
  Medical Physics 08/2012; 39(8):4800-6. · 2.83 Impact Factor
• Article: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging in ischemic heart disease.

  Florian von Knobelsdorff-Brenkenhoff, Jeanette Schulz-Menger
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  ABSTRACT: Ischemic heart disease is the most frequent etiology for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Early detection and accurate monitoring are essential to guide optimal patient treatment and assess the individual's prognosis. In this regard, cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR), which entered the arena of noninvasive cardiovascular imaging over the past two decades, became a very important imaging modality, mainly due to its unique versatility. CMR has proven accuracy and is a robust technique for the assessment of myocardial function both at rest and during stress. It also allows stress perfusion analysis with high spatial and temporal resolution, and provides a means by which to differentiate tissue such as distinguishing between reversibly and irreversibly injured myocardium. In particular, the latter aspect is a unique benefit of CMR compared with other noninvasive imaging modalities such as echocardiography and nuclear medicine, and provides novel information concerning the presence, size, transmurality, and prognosis of myocardial infarction. This article is intended to provide the reader with an overview of the various applications of CMR for the assessment of ischemic heart disease from a clinical perspective.
  Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging 07/2012; 36(1):20-38. · 2.70 Impact Factor
• Article: Single-centre survey of the application of cardiovascular magnetic resonance in clinical routine.

  Florian von Knobelsdorff-Brenkenhoff, Angelika Bublak, Sana El-Mahmoud, Ralf Wassmuth, Christian Opitz, Jeanette Schulz-Menger
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  ABSTRACT: AIMS: Awareness of cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is growing due to increasing evidence for providing relevant functional and morphologic information. This single-centre survey aimed at providing descriptive data about the clinical application and potential impact of CMR. METHODS AND RESULTS: All 2598 clinically indicated CMR exams were prospectively registered during 1 year in one single centre. Detailed data of the individual patient and procedural information of each exam were collected. In a simulation of CMR-based clinical decision-making in a subgroup of 250 cases, the influence of CMR on further diagnostic testing and answering the clinical question was estimated. Inflammatory (31%) and coronary (28%) heart disease were the most frequent indications. The exams were fast (98% < 60 min), robust (0.4% non-diagnostic image quality), and mostly used contrast media (76%). Anxiolytic sedation was required to overcome claustrophobia in 3.8%. Two per cent of all exams were terminated prematurely. No severe adverse events occurred. All moderate adverse events (0.5%) were associated with stress medication (1.7% of all stress tests) or contrast media (0.15% of all contrast enhanced studies). In the simulation, CMR influenced the individual selection of diagnostic testing and provided valuable information to establish or exclude a diagnosis. CONCLUSION: This single-centre experience demonstrated a versatile application of CMR at reasonable time expense, safety, and robustness. The simulation of CMR-based decision-making indicated that CMR may influence patient management.
  European heart journal cardiovascular Imaging. 06/2012;
• Source

  Available from: Lukas Winter

  Article: Two-Dimensional sixteen channel transmit/receive coil array for cardiac MRI at 7.0 T: Design, evaluation, and application.

  Christof Thalhammer, Wolfgang Renz, Lukas Winter, Fabian Hezel, Jan Rieger, Harald Pfeiffer, Andreas Graessl, Frank Seifert, Werner Hoffmann, Florian von Knobelsdorff-Brenkenhoff, Valeriy Tkachenko, Jeanette Schulz-Menger, Peter Kellman, Thoralf Niendorf
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  ABSTRACT: To design, evaluate, and apply a 2D 16-channel transmit/receive (TX/RX) coil array tailored for cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 7.0 T. The cardiac coil array consists of two sections each using eight elements arranged in a 2 × 4 array. Radiofrequency (RF) safety was validated by specific absorption rate (SAR) simulations. Cardiac imaging was performed using 2D CINE FLASH imaging, T 2* mapping, and fat-water separation imaging. The characteristics of the coil array were analyzed including parallel imaging performance, left ventricular chamber quantification, and overall image quality. RF characteristics were found to be appropriate for all subjects included in the study. The SAR values derived from the simulations fall well within the limits of legal guidelines. The baseline signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) advantage at 7.0 T was put to use to acquire 2D CINE images of the heart with a very high spatial resolution of (1 × 1 × 4) mm(3) . The proposed coil array supports 1D acceleration factors of up to R = 4 without significantly impairing image quality. The 16-channel TX/RX coil has the capability to acquire high contrast and high spatial resolution images of the heart at 7.0 T. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2012;36:847-857. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
  Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging 06/2012; 36(4):847-57. · 2.70 Impact Factor
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  Available from: Heiko Mahrholdt

  Article: Cost evaluation of cardiovascular magnetic resonance versus coronary angiography for the diagnostic work-up of coronary artery disease: application of the European Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance registry data to the German, United Kingdom, Swiss, and United States health care systems.

  Karine Moschetti, Stefano Muzzarelli, Christophe Pinget, Anja Wagner, Günther Pilz, Jean-Blaise Wasserfallen, Jeanette Schulz-Menger, Detle Nothnagel, Torsten Dill, Herbert Frank, Massimo Lombardi, Oliver Bruder, Heiko Mahrholdt, Jürg Schwitter
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  ABSTRACT: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has favorable characteristics for diagnostic evaluation and risk stratification of patients with known or suspected CAD. CMR utilization in CAD detection is growing fast. However, data on its cost-effectiveness are scarce. The goal of this study is to compare the costs of two strategies for detection of significant coronary artery stenoses in patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD): 1) Performing CMR first to assess myocardial ischemia and/or infarct scar before referring positive patients (defined as presence of ischemia and/or infarct scar to coronary angiography (CXA) versus 2) a hypothetical CXA performed in all patients as a single test to detect CAD. A subgroup of the European CMR pilot registry was used including 2,717 consecutive patients who underwent stress-CMR. From these patients, 21% were positive for CAD (ischemia and/or infarct scar), 73% negative, and 6% uncertain and underwent additional testing. The diagnostic costs were evaluated using invoicing costs of each test performed. Costs analysis was performed from a health care payer perspective in German, United Kingdom, Swiss, and United States health care settings. In the public sectors of the German, United Kingdom, and Swiss health care systems, cost savings from the CMR-driven strategy were 50%, 25% and 23%, respectively, versus outpatient CXA. If CXA was carried out as an inpatient procedure, cost savings were 46%, 50% and 48%, respectively. In the United States context, cost savings were 51% when compared with inpatient CXA, but higher for CMR by 8% versus outpatient CXA. This analysis suggests that from an economic perspective, the use of CMR should be encouraged as a management option for patients with suspected CAD.
  Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance 06/2012; 14:35. · 3.72 Impact Factor
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  Available from: Lukas Winter

  Article: Comparison of three multichannel transmit/receive radiofrequency coil configurations for anatomic and functional cardiac MRI at 7.0T: implications for clinical imaging.

  Lukas Winter, Peter Kellman, Wolfgang Renz, Andreas Gräßl, Fabian Hezel, Christof Thalhammer, Florian von Knobelsdorff-Brenkenhoff, Valeriy Tkachenko, Jeanette Schulz-Menger, Thoralf Niendorf
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  ABSTRACT: To implement, examine, and compare three multichannel transmit/receive coil configurations for cardiovascular MR (CMR) at 7T. Three radiofrequency transmit-receive (TX/RX) coils with 4-, 8-, and 16-coil elements were used. Ten healthy volunteers (seven males, age 28 ± 4 years) underwent CMR at 7T. For all three RX/TX coils, 2D CINE FLASH images of the heart were acquired. Cardiac chamber quantification, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) analysis, parallel imaging performance assessment, and image quality scoring were performed. Mean total examination time was 29 ± 5 min. All images obtained with the 8- and 16-channel coils were diagnostic. No significant difference in ejection fraction (EF) (P > 0.09) or left ventricular mass (LVM) (P > 0.31) was observed between the coils. The 8- and 16-channel arrays yielded a higher mean SNR in the septum versus the 4-channel coil. The lowest geometry factors were found for the 16-channel coil (mean ± SD 2.3 ± 0.5 for R = 4). Image quality was rated significantly higher (P < 0.04) for the 16-channel coil versus the 8- and 4-channel coils. All three coil configurations are suitable for CMR at 7.0T under routine circumstances. A larger number of coil elements enhances image quality and parallel imaging performance but does not impact the accuracy of cardiac chamber quantification. KEY POINTS : • Cardiac chamber quantification using 7.0T magnetic resonance imaging is feasible. • Examination times for cardiac chamber quantification at 7.0T match current clinical practice. • Multichannel transceiver RF technology facilitates improved image quality and parallel imaging performance. • Increasing the number of RF channels does not influence cardiac chamber quantification.
  European Radiology 06/2012; 22(10):2211-20. · 3.22 Impact Factor
• Article: Integrated Biomarkers in Cardiomyopathies

  Jeanette Schulz-Menger, Bernhard Maisch, Hassan Abdel-Aty, Sabine Pankuweit
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  ABSTRACT: In an integrated approach, the authors examine the most efficient combination of noninvasive and invasive biochemical, immunologic, functional, molecular, imaging and biopsy-derived biomarkers for their applicability in the diagnosis of cardiomyopathies in general and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in particular. A careful selection out of the cascade of available biomarkers will allow, in individual patients, to diagnose certain conditions of cardiomyopathies without endomyocardial biopsy, e.g., borreliosis, rickettsiosis, HIV cardiomyopathy. Viral persistence in DCM associated with inflammation will need both noninvasive (echocardiography, cardiovascular magnetic resonance) and invasive biomarkers (polymerase chain reaction for viral persistence or their exclusion in case of autoreactive myocarditis and quantitative immunohistology, both from endomyocardial biopsy). Ein integrierter Ansatz nichtinvasiver und invasiver Biomarker (biochemische, immunologische, funktionale, molekulare, durch Endomyokardbiopsie gewonnene Histologie, Immunhistologie und Polymerase-Kettenreaktion kardiotroper Erreger) stellt für den individuellen Patienten mit der Verdachtsdiagnose einer dilatativen Kardiomyopathie der geeigneten Ansatz zur ätiologisch fundierten Diagnose dar. Borreliose mit Herzbeteiligung, Rickettsiose und HIV-Kardiomyopathie sind, eine passende Anamnese vorausgesetzt, mit einer Kombination serologischer und nichtinvasiver bildgebender Methoden zu diagnostizieren. Viruspersistenz mit oder ohne Inflammation sowie eine autoreaktive inflammatorische Kardiomyopathie setzen neben nichtinvasiven Entzündungs-, Nekrose- und Funktionsmarkern die definitive Klärung durch eine Endomyokardbiopsie voraus. Diese ist medizinisch sinnvoll, wenn, wie die inflammatorische Kardiomyopathie impliziert, eine globale (eingeschränkte Ejektionsfraktion) oder regionale linksventrikuläre Funktionsstörung vorliegt.
  Herz 04/2012; 32(6):458-472. · 0.92 Impact Factor
• Article: Cardiac imaging at 7.0 T: comparison of pulse oximetry, electrocardiogram and phonocardiogram triggered 2D-CINE for LV-function assessment

  Tobias Frauenrath, Wolfgang Renz, Nishant Patel, Fabian Hezel, Matthias Dieringer, Jeanette Schulz-Menger, Thoralf Niendorf
  Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance 04/2012; 12:1-3. · 3.72 Impact Factor
• Article: Moderate dietary weight loss reduces myocardial steatosis in obese and overweight women.

  Wolfgang Utz, Stefan Engeli, Sven Haufe, Petra Kast, Jana Böhnke, Verena Haas, Mario Hermsdorf, Susanne Wiesner, Martin Pofahl, Julius Traber, Friedrich C Luft, Michael Boschmann, Jens Jordan, Jeanette Schulz-Menger
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  ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Excessive myocardial triglyceride (MTG) content in obesity and type 2 diabetes is associated with impaired cardiac function. Previous studies suggest that MTG could be mobilized through lifestyle interventions. We assessed influences of moderate dietary weight loss in non diabetic obese and overweight women on MTG content and cardiac function. METHODS: We selected a subgroup of 38 women from the B-SMART study population. The B-SMART study compared weight loss and associated metabolic and cardiovascular markers with reduced-carbohydrate and reduced-fat hypocaloric diets. Selected subjects had completed a cardiac magnetic resonance (MR) scan including imaging and proton spectroscopy to assess cardiac structure and function as well as MTG content. RESULTS: An average weight reduction of 5.4±4.3kg at six months was associated with a relative decrease of MTG of 25% (from 0.72±0.29% at baseline to 0.54±0.23% at follow-up, p<0.001). The response was similar with carbohydrate and fat restriction. Diastolic function expressed as ratio of peak filling rate in E- and A-Phase (PFR(E)/PFR(A)) was unchanged. Reductions of left atrial size (from 21.9±4.0cm(2) to 20.0±3.7cm(2), p=0.002), the normalized ratio of PFR(E) and early diastolic lengthening velocity PLV (from 8.2±2.6 to 7.5±2.5, p<0.001) and fat free mass (from 55.1±6.9kg to 52.7±6.5kg, p=0.007) reflected altered cardiac volume loading after diet, but did not correlate to MTG content. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate dietary weight loss significantly reduced MTG content in women with uncomplicated overweight or obesity. Macronutrient composition of the diet did not significantly affect the extent of MTG reduction.
  International journal of cardiology 04/2012; · 7.08 Impact Factor
• Article: Cardiac magnetic resonance differentiates subtypes in bicuspid aortic valve and reveals various frequencies of aortic stenosis among subtypes.

  Ralf Wassmuth, Jeanette Schulz-Menger
  Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance 02/2012; 14 Suppl 1:O69. · 3.72 Impact Factor
• Article: Moderate dietary weight loss reduces myocardial triglycerides in obese women.

  Wolfgang Utz, Sven Haufe, Stefan Engeli, Martin Pofahl, Julius Traber, Friedrich Luft, Jens Jordan, Jeanette Schulz-Menger
  Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance 02/2012; 14 Suppl 1:P69. · 3.72 Impact Factor