Reproducibility of cardiac volumetric parameters derived from fully automatically prescribed image planes: a direct comparison to manual planning at 1.5-T and 3-T MRI

Category	Detail
Condition	Cardiac volumetric assessment via cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR)
Key Mechanisms	Comparison of reproducibility between fully automated AI-based plane prescription and manual planning in CMR at 1.5-T and 3-T field strengths
Target Population	Healthy adult subjects without cardiac or systemic diseases, aged ≥18 years
Care Setting	Specialized imaging centers performing cardiac MRI

CMR is the gold standard for quantitative cardiac volume and function assessment with superior reproducibility over echocardiography.
Manual planning of cardiac image planes is reproducible but requires trained personnel and is time-consuming, limiting accessibility.
AI-based automated plane prescription aims to standardize image acquisition, reduce variability, and increase CMR availability without compromising reproducibility.

Use CMR for quantitative assessment of cardiac volumes and myocardial function as recommended by international guidelines.
Exclude patients with contraindications for MRI or structural/functional heart diseases when assessing reproducibility in healthy cohorts.

Implement standardized imaging protocols and post-processing techniques to improve reproducibility.
Consider AI-based automated plane prescription to streamline CMR acquisition and reduce operator dependency.

Perform follow-up CMR scans with consistent imaging plane prescription to accurately track disease progression.
Maintain similar field strength or account for differences when comparing serial volumetric measurements.

Potential variability due to technical and physiological factors despite standardized protocols.
Limitations in manual planning include operator dependency and temporal demands.
Automated planning must be validated to ensure it does not reduce measurement reproducibility.

Healthy adult volunteers with equal gender distribution across age groups, free of cardiac and systemic diseases

Automated AI-based plane prescription can potentially replace manual planning without loss of reproducibility, facilitating broader CMR access.

Ensure ethical approval and informed consent when conducting CMR reproducibility studies.
Use standardized accelerated cine sequences with breath-holds for image acquisition.
Apply AI-based automated plane prescription tools validated against manual planning by experienced technicians.
Schedule follow-up scans within clinically realistic intervals (e.g., 2–5 weeks for intra-field strength, 1–2 hours for inter-field strength comparisons).
Exclude scans with incomplete left ventricular coverage to maintain data integrity.

Clinical Scorecard: Comparison of Reproducibility in Cardiac Volumetric Measurements from Fully Automated Image Planes Versus Manual Planning in 1.5-T and 3-T MRI