Abstract 18893: Real-time B-mode Cardiac Time-harmonic Elastography for the Detection of Diastolic Dysfunction

Introduction: Cardiac MR elastography (cMRE) has recently been shown sensitive to diastolic dysfunction. cMRE measures the periodic alteration of the myocardial shear modulus based on externally induced low-frequency acoustic vibrations produced by a loudspeaker. It was demonstrated that shear wave amplitudes are reduced in patients with pathologically increased myocardial stiffness. Purpose of this feasibility study is to adopt the principles of cMRE by fast and cost-efficient cardiac time-harmonic elastography (cTHE) guided by transthoracic echocardiography. Methods: cTHE was implemented into a commercial ultrasound B-mode scanner connected to an examination couch designed to introduce 30-Hz continuous vibrations into the patient’s chest. The alteration of shear wave amplitudes was displayed in real time after placement of the elastographic processing window of 1- 2 cm width by B-mode guidance. In a group of 9 healthy volunteers and two patients with mild and moderate diastolic dysfunction, we focused o...