Establishing Normal DENSE MRI Values at 1.5 Tesla for Displacement Encoding

This study focuses on defining normal reference values for CURE and RURE metrics derived from Displacement Encoding with Stimulated Echoes (DENSE) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) performed at a 1.5 Tesla field strength. DENSE is a specialized MRI technique used to measure tissue displacement, often applied in biomechanical assessments of tissues like the myocardium. Establishing these normal values is crucial for accurate clinical interpretation and for identifying deviations that might indicate pathology. The research aims to provide a standardized baseline against which individual patient results can be compared. This standardization is essential for the reliable application of DENSE MRI in diagnostic and research settings. The findings will contribute to the broader understanding of cardiac mechanics and the development of more sensitive diagnostic tools. The study specifically addresses the parameters CURE (Cardiac Ultrasound-based strain REconstruction) and RURE (Regional Ultrasound-based strain REconstruction), which are derived from the DENSE sequence. These metrics quantify strain, a measure of deformation, within cardiac tissue. The research conducted at 1.5 Tesla ensures relevance for a widely available MRI field strength. Ultimately, this work seeks to enhance the diagnostic utility of DENSE MRI by providing a robust normative dataset.