Background Displacement encoding with stimulated echoes (DENSE) encodes myocardial tissue displacement into the phase of the MRI image, thus allowing direct quantification of myocardial displacement at multiple cardiac phases. Strain-encoded CMR with DENSE has high spatial (3.2 mm × 3.2 mm × 8 mm) and temporal resolution (TR= 27.34 ms). We aimed to measure myocardial strain values with DENSE in healthy adults across a broad age range at 3.0 Tesla.

Methods Healthy volunteers with no prior medical history or treatment were enrolled and underwent CMR at 3.0T (Magnetom Verio, Siemens healthcare, Erlangen, Germany). Mid-left ventricular short axis and horizontal long axis DENSE sequences were acquired and analysed using CIM_DENSE2D software (University of Auckland, New Zealand and Siemens Healthcare). Segmental and global myocardial circumferential (Ecc) and longitudinal (Ell) strain were obtained.

Results Ecc and Ell were analysed in 77 volunteers (mean age 45 ± 18 years, 49% male) (Table 1). Mean Ecc strain was greater in women than in men. These sex-differences were mainly related to strain values in the anterior and antero-lateral LV segments. There is no difference for Ell.

Conclusion Left ventricular circumferential contractility differs between men and women, and the differences were regionalised to the antero-lateral myocardial regions where LV displacement is greatest.

Funding Medical Research Scotland project grant. Professor Berry was supported by a Senior Clinical Fellowship from the Scottish Funding Council.