Identification of Myocardial Scarring Using Contrast-Free Cardiac MRI in Patients With Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases

Background: Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) cardiac MRI is the method of choice in revealing the presence of myocardial scarring, but its availability remains limited in clinical practice.Purpose: To assess myocardial scarring in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs) using contrast-free cardiac MRI with a radiomics model.Study Type: Retrospective.Population: One hundred ninety-two patients (mean age, 41 years +/- 15, 62 men) with or without ARDs, grouped into a training set of 153 patients and a testing set of 39 patients.Field Strength/Sequence: 3.0 T/ cine imaging with a balanced steady-state free precession sequence, T1 mapping with a modified Look-Locker inversion recovery sequence, and LGE imaging with a phase-sensitive inversion recovery gradient echo sequence.Assessment: LGE assessment was the reference standard for identifying myocardial scarring. Based on motion features extracted from cine images and tissue characterization features extracted from native T1 maps, a fully automated radiomics model with T1, cine MRI, or combined inputs was developed.Statistical Tests: Logistic regression model was used to detect myocardial scarring using contrast-free cardiac MRI parameters. Receiver operating characteristic curves were analyzed to assess the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity in detecting myocardial scarring. Sensitivities of the models were further assessed in patients with various myocardial scarring proportions. Z-statistic and dice coefficient were assessed to compare the performance. P-values <0.05 were considered significant.Results: The multivariable regression model exhibited an accuracy of 85.3%, a sensitivity of 93.5%, and a specificity of 50.0%. The radiomics model with T1 and cine MRI input exhibited an accuracy of 75.7%, a sensitivity of 60.9%, and a specificity of 85.5%. Moreover, the radiomics model showed a sensitivity of 90.9% among patients with >25% myocardial scarring.Data Conclusions: The proposed radiomics model allowed for the identification of myocardial scarring similar to LGE, but on contrast-free cardiac MRI in patients with ARDs.Evidence Level: 3Technical Efficacy: Stage 1

Automated summary

This study used contrast-free cardiac MRI combined with a radiomics model to assess myocardial scarring in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases. The results showed that the radiomics model and multivariable regression model had high accuracy and sensitivity in identifying myocardial scarring.