Cardiac diffusion-weighted and tensor imaging: a Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR) special interest group consensus statement
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Thanks to recent developments in Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR), cardiac diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance is fast emerging in a range of clinical applications. Cardiac diffusion-weighted imaging (cDWI) and diffusion tensor imaging (cDTI) now enable investigators and clinicians to assess and quantify the 3D microstructure of the heart. Free-contrast DWI is uniquely sensitized to the presence and displacement of water molecules within the myocardial tissue, including the intra-cellular, extra-cellular and intra-vascular spaces. CMR can determine changes in microstructure by quantifying: a) mean diffusivity (MD) –measuring the magnitude of diffusion; b) fractional anisotropy (FA) – specifying the directionality of diffusion; c) helix angle (HA) and transverse angle (TA) –indicating the orientation of the cardiomyocytes; d) E2A and E2A mobility – measuring the alignment and systolic-diastolic mobility of the sheetlets, respectively.
This document provides recommendations for both clinical and research cDWI and cDTI, based on published evidence when available and expert consensus when not. It introduces the cardiac microstructure focusing on the cardiomyocytes and their role in cardiac physiology and pathophysiology. It highlights methods, observations and recommendations in terminology, acquisition schemes, post-processing pipelines, data analysis and interpretation of the different biomarkers. Despite the ongoing challenges discussed in the document and the need for ongoing technical improvements, it is clear that cDTI is indeed feasible, can be accurately and reproducibly performed and, most importantly, can provide unique insights into myocardial pathophysiology.
This document provides recommendations for both clinical and research cDWI and cDTI, based on published evidence when available and expert consensus when not. It introduces the cardiac microstructure focusing on the cardiomyocytes and their role in cardiac physiology and pathophysiology. It highlights methods, observations and recommendations in terminology, acquisition schemes, post-processing pipelines, data analysis and interpretation of the different biomarkers. Despite the ongoing challenges discussed in the document and the need for ongoing technical improvements, it is clear that cDTI is indeed feasible, can be accurately and reproducibly performed and, most importantly, can provide unique insights into myocardial pathophysiology.
Date Issued
2025-06
Date Acceptance
2024-10-11
Citation
Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, 2025, 27 (1)
ISSN
1097-6647
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance
Volume
27
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of Society for
Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance. This is an open access article under the CC
BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance. This is an open access article under the CC
BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Identifier
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jocmr.2024.101109
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
101109
Date Publish Online
2024-10-22