Myocardial Lipid and Creatine of Heart Failure on MRS

The objective of this 3-year project is to develop myocardial MRS, in particular lipid (triglyceride) and creatine resonances, as imaging biomarkers for patients with heart failure (HF). Investigators will elucidate how and, to what extent, lipid and creatine levels of the heart contribute to heart failure. The first year is a cross-sectional study. Investigators aim to compare the MRS of normal subjects and that of stable HF patients in recovery with normal or impaired ejection fraction (EF). Total 60 subjects will be enrolled, with 20 subjects in each group. In the 2nd and 3rd years, investigators plan a prospective longitudinal study of 40 subjects. Enrolled patients will be evaluated with cardiac MRS at three time points, i.e., disease onset, 6 months and one year after treatment, and will be followed up until the end of this project (1.5~3-year follow up). In total 120 MR scans will be performed in the 2nd and 3rd years. The resonances from cardiac MRS, including creatine and lipids, will be correlated with the disease course, patient biochemistry data and clinical outcome. Investigators expect to make MRS to become an integral part of a clinical cardiac MR protocol.