Overview of Myocardial T1 Mapping Applications

T1 mapping with cardiac MRI has gained an important role in myocardial tissue characterization over the past decade as emerging technological developments enable reliable myocardial T1 assessment with a reasonably short acquisition time. Fast mapping approaches can acquire a single-slice T1 map in a single breath-hold even in patients with low compliance and low breath-holding capacity. Improvements in T1 mapping sequences have extended the clinical utility of this technique to a broad range of myocardial diseases. Indeed, native T1 mapping and extracellular volume fraction mapping seem to have superior value over conventional late gadolinium enhancement techniques in assessing certain myocardial diseases. Ongoing studies look to establish inter-vendor reference values, to further shorten the acquisition time, to develop 3D T1 mapping, and to improve reliability and reproducibility.