简介:T1mappingusingcardiovascularmagneticresonance(CMR)introducesnoveltechniquesformyocardialtissuecharacterizationtodetectandquantifydiseaseprocessesoccurringatthemicroscopiclevel.EventhoughT1mappinghaslimitedspatialresolution,cellularandmolecularchangesoccurringwithineachvoxelcanaffecttheaggregateT1signalrenderingthemquantifiable.TheestimatedT1-basedparametersquantifiedona“map”demonstratethespatiallocalizationofthesechangeswherebyeachpixelexpressesthequantitativevalueofthatparameter.Thisquantificationpermitsdetectionofdiffusediseaseevenifitisnotdirectlyvisible.Ratherthanrelyingonnonspecificfunctionalmeasures,T1mappingfocusesonintrinsicchangesofmyocardialcompositionthatadvancesunderstandingaboutspecificdiseasepathways.Thesechangesinmyocardialtissuecompositioninformdiagnosisandprognosis.T1mappingencompassestwokeyparameters:native(i.e.,precontrast)T1andextracellularvolumefraction(ECV)derivedfromadditionalpostcontrastT1andbloodT1measurements.Theseadvancesintroducenewtoolstodetectfocalanddiffusemyocardialderangementsoccurringincardiacdiseasethatcanbeotherwisedifficulttodetect.T1andECVmappingfosterprecisionmedicineandpersonalizedcare,promisingtoimprovepatientoutcomesthroughtargetedtherapy.CapitalizingontheopportunitiesintroducedbyT1mappingandECVrequiresfurtherinvestigation.