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TY - JOUR

T1 - Higher spatial resolution improves the interpretation of the extent of ventricular trabeculation

AU - Riekerk, Hanne C. E.

AU - Coolen, Bram F.

AU - J. Strijkers, Gustav

AU - van der Wal, Allard C.

AU - Petersen, Steffen E.

AU - Sheppard, Mary N.

AU - Oostra, Roelof-Jan

AU - Christoffels, Vincent M.

AU - Jensen, Bjarke

N1 - Funding Information: Megan Vos provided excellent assistance with histology. SEP acknowledges support from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Centre at Barts. VMC received funding from Netherlands Heart Foundation OUTREACH. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Authors. Journal of Anatomy published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Anatomical Society. Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

PY - 2022/2

Y1 - 2022/2

N2 - The ventricular walls of the human heart comprise an outer compact layer and an inner trabecular layer. In the context of an increased pre-test probability, diagnosis left ventricular noncompaction cardiomyopathy is given when the left ventricle is excessively trabeculated in volume (trabecular vol >25% of total LV wall volume) or thickness (trabecular/compact (T/C) >2.3). Here, we investigated whether higher spatial resolution affects the detection of trabeculation and thus the assessment of normal and excessively trabeculated wall morphology. First, we screened left ventricles in 1112 post-natal autopsy hearts. We identified five excessively trabeculated hearts and this low prevalence of excessive trabeculation is in agreement with pathology reports but contrasts the prevalence of approximately 10% of the population found by in vivo non-invasive imaging. Using macroscopy, histology and low- and high-resolution MRI, the five excessively trabeculated hearts were compared with six normal hearts and seven abnormally trabeculated and excessive trabeculation-negative hearts. Some abnormally trabeculated hearts could be considered excessively trabeculated macroscopically because of a trabecular outflow or an excessive number of trabeculations, but they were excessive trabeculation-negative when assessed with MRI-based measurements (T/C <2.3 and vol <25%). The number of detected trabeculations and T/C ratio were positively correlated with higher spatial resolution. Using measurements on high resolution MRI and with histological validation, we could not replicate the correlation between trabeculations of the left and right ventricle that has been previously reported. In conclusion, higher spatial resolution may affect the sensitivity of diagnostic measurements and in addition could allow for novel measurements such as counting of trabeculations.

AB - The ventricular walls of the human heart comprise an outer compact layer and an inner trabecular layer. In the context of an increased pre-test probability, diagnosis left ventricular noncompaction cardiomyopathy is given when the left ventricle is excessively trabeculated in volume (trabecular vol >25% of total LV wall volume) or thickness (trabecular/compact (T/C) >2.3). Here, we investigated whether higher spatial resolution affects the detection of trabeculation and thus the assessment of normal and excessively trabeculated wall morphology. First, we screened left ventricles in 1112 post-natal autopsy hearts. We identified five excessively trabeculated hearts and this low prevalence of excessive trabeculation is in agreement with pathology reports but contrasts the prevalence of approximately 10% of the population found by in vivo non-invasive imaging. Using macroscopy, histology and low- and high-resolution MRI, the five excessively trabeculated hearts were compared with six normal hearts and seven abnormally trabeculated and excessive trabeculation-negative hearts. Some abnormally trabeculated hearts could be considered excessively trabeculated macroscopically because of a trabecular outflow or an excessive number of trabeculations, but they were excessive trabeculation-negative when assessed with MRI-based measurements (T/C <2.3 and vol <25%). The number of detected trabeculations and T/C ratio were positively correlated with higher spatial resolution. Using measurements on high resolution MRI and with histological validation, we could not replicate the correlation between trabeculations of the left and right ventricle that has been previously reported. In conclusion, higher spatial resolution may affect the sensitivity of diagnostic measurements and in addition could allow for novel measurements such as counting of trabeculations.

KW - cardiomyopathy

KW - heart

KW - magnetic resonance imaging

KW - noncompaction

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85115692832&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/joa.13559

DO - 10.1111/joa.13559

M3 - Article

C2 - 34569075

VL - 240

SP - 357

EP - 375

JO - Journal of anatomy

JF - Journal of anatomy

SN - 0021-8782

IS - 2

ER -