Quantification of epicardial adipose tissue in obese patients using an open-bore MR scanner

Background Our aim was to evaluate the reproducibility of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) volume, measured on scans performed using an open-bore magnetic resonance scanner. Methods Consecutive patients referred for bariatric surgery, aged between 18 and 65 years who agreed to undergo cardiac imaging (MRI), were prospectively enrolled. All those with cardiac pathology or contraindications to MRI were excluded. MRI was performed on a 1.0-T open-bore scanner, and EAT was segmented on all scans at both systolic and diastolic phase by two independent readers (R1 with four years of experience and R2 with one year). Data were reported as median and interquartile range; agreement and differences were appraised with Bland-Altman analyses and Wilcoxon tests, respectively. Results Fourteen patients, 11 females (79%) aged 44 (41-50) years, underwent cardiac MRI. For the first and second readings, respectively, EAT volume was 86 (78-95) cm(3) and 85 (79-91) cm(3) at systole and 82 (74-95) cm(3) and 81 (75-94) cm(3) at diastole for R1, and 89 (79-99) cm(3) and 93 (84-98) cm(3) at systole and 92 (85-103) cm(3) and 93 (82-94) cm(3) at diastole for R2. R1 had the best reproducibility at diastole (bias 0.3 cm(3), standard deviation of the differences (SD) 3.3 cm(3)). R2 had the worst reproducibility at diastole (bias 3.9 cm(3), SD 12.1 cm(3)). The only significant difference between systole and diastole was at the first reading by R1 (p = 0.016). The greatest bias was that of inter-reader reproducibility at diastole (-9.4 cm(3)). Conclusions Reproducibility was within clinically acceptable limits in most instances.