Association between cardiorespiratory fitness and social cognition in healthy adults.

PURPOSE: Whereas there is compelling evidence for an association between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and executive function and attention, its relation with social cognition has not been investigated yet. However, social cognition is linked with mental health and career success in jobs with high demands on social interaction. The present study aims to examine the association between CRF and the facial emotion recognition aspect of social cognition in police officers. METHODS: The study utilized a cross-sectional design. 198 male and female participants (aged 38.3 ± 1.3 years) completed the Åstrand submaximal bicycle ergometer test and their CRF was estimated using the Åstrand-Rhyming nomogram. Additionally, a 2-choice reaction time task and two facial emotion recognition tasks (labeling and matching) with low (emotion recognition from faces) and high (emotion recognition from eyes) difficulty trials were administered for the assessment of attention and social cognition. RESULTS: Adjusting for age, gender, education, and attention, hierarchical regression supported higher CRF to be related to higher performance on overall performance on the facial emotion labeling and matching tasks, Beta = 0.141, P = .046. With regard to difficulty levels, a similar association between CRF and task performance was found for the faces condition, Beta = 0.147, P = .043, but not for the eyes condition, Beta = 0.105, P = .132. CONCLUSIONS: Social cognition appears to differ as a function of adults' CRF level. The present findings have a high relevance for police officers, because they need to rely on this cognitive domain for many decisions in their work-life.

Ambulatory Assessment for Physical Activity Research: State of the Science, Best Practices and Future Directions.

Technological and digital progress benefits physical activity (PA) research. Here we compiled expert knowledge on how Ambulatory Assessment (AA) is utilized to advance PA research, i.e., we present results of the 2nd International CAPA Workshop 2019 "Physical Activity Assessment - State of the Science, Best Practices, Future Directions" where invited researchers with experience in PA assessment, evaluation, technology and application participated. First, we provide readers with the state of the AA science, then we give best practice recommendations on how to measure PA via AA and shed light on methodological frontiers, and we furthermore discuss future directions. AA encompasses a class of methods that allows the study of PA and its behavioral, biological and physiological correlates as they unfold in everyday life. AA includes monitoring of movement (e.g., via accelerometry), physiological function (e.g., via mobile electrocardiogram), contextual information (e.g., via geolocation-tracking), and ecological momentary assessment (EMA; e.g., electronic diaries) to capture self-reported information. The strengths of AA are data assessment that near realtime, which minimizes retrospective biases in real-world settings, consequentially enabling ecological valid findings. Importantly, AA enables multiple assessments across time within subjects resulting in intensive longitudinal data (ILD), which allows unraveling within-person determinants of PA in everyday life. In this paper, we show how AA methods such as triggered e-diaries and geolocation-tracking can be used to measure PA and its correlates, and furthermore how these findings may translate into real-life interventions. In sum, AA provides numerous possibilities for PA research, especially the opportunity to tackle within- subject antecedents, concomitants, and consequences of PA as they unfold in everyday life. In-depth insights on determinants of PA could help us design and deliver impactful interventions in real-world contexts, thus enabling us to solve critical health issues in the 21st century such as insufficient PA and high levels of sedentary behavior.

Psychometric properties of the Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure (SMBM) among adolescents: results from three cross-sectional studies.

BACKGROUND: Burnout has long been understood as work-related physical, emotional, and cognitive exhaustion. However, burnout symptoms can also be found among younger people, including school-aged adolescents. While the Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure (SMBM) is a widely applied instrument, its psychometric properties have not yet been investigated in adolescent populations. We therefore examined the psychometric properties of the SMBM in three independent samples of adolescents. METHODS: In total, 249 high school students, 144 vocational students, and 257 adolescent elite athletes completed the SMBM, along with questionnaires related to perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and life satisfaction. Descriptive statistics, gender differences, and internal consistency, convergent/discriminant validity, and factorial validity (including measurement invariance across genders) were examined in each sample. RESULTS: The SMBM had adequate internal consistency. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that both a first- and second-order model achieve good model fit. Moreover, evidence for sufficient convergent and discriminant validity was found. Finally, in two of the three samples, female adolescents reported higher SMBM scores. CONCLUSIONS: The SMBM has been widely used in international burnout research. However, this is the first study providing empirical evidence that the SMBM has acceptable psychometric properties and satisfactory convergent/discriminant and factorial validity among young people. The SMBM is a concise and economic tool to assess self-rated symptoms of burnout, and presents a valuable alternative to existing school burnout inventories. In particular, the SMBM can facilitate the investigation of the transition of young people from school to working life.

STOCHASTIC SOLUTIONS FOR FRACTIONAL WAVE EQUATIONS.

A fractional wave equation replaces the second time derivative by a Caputo derivative of order between one and two. In this paper, we show that the fractional wave equation governs a stochastic model for wave propagation, with deterministic time replaced by the inverse of a stable subordinator whose index is one half the order of the fractional time derivative.

Reviving the dinosaur: virtual reconstruction and three-dimensional printing of a dinosaur vertebra.

PURPOSE: To demonstrate the feasibility of using computed tomography (CT) to confirm the identity of an unprepared fossil and to use the CT dataset to separate the fossilized bone from its surrounding sediment matrix and produce a three-dimensional (3D) print. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The examined object was a plaster jacket containing an unprepared fossil. CT was performed with a 320-section multidetector unit. A marching cube-based method was used to transform the voxel CT dataset into triangle-based, editable geometry. Then, a comprehensive postprocessing step was performed to isolate the geometry of the vertebra from its surrounding fossilized matrix. Finally, the resulting polygon mesh describing only the vertebra was used for a physical 3D reconstruction by using a selective laser sintering machine. RESULTS: The CT examination provided enough data to assign the fossil to the genus Plateosaurus. In addition, much valuable information about the fossil has been gained-in particular the visualization of multiple fractures and the destruction of the anterior rim of the vertebral body. Finally, the results show that the 3D print generated, including the fractures and the anterior destruction, may be considered an accurate copy of the bone with the unprepared fossil. CONCLUSION: The authors demonstrated the feasibility and potential utility of combining CT with 3D printing, providing a nondestructive method to future paleontologists.

Macrocyclic contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging of chronic myocardial infarction: intraindividual comparison of gadobutrol and gadoterate meglumine.

OBJECTIVES: To compare 0.15 mmol/kg gadobutrol for late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) imaging of chronic myocardial infarction with a relaxivity-adjusted dose of gadoterate meglumine (Gd-DOTA). METHODS: Seventeen patients with suspected chronic myocardial infarction underwent LGE imaging at 1.5 T, acquiring an inversion-recovery-prepared gradient echo sequence 15 min after contrast agent administration. Each patient underwent LGE imaging twice, once after administration of 0.15 mmol/kg gadobutrol (r1 = 5.2 l mmol(-1) s(-1)) and after 0.22 mmol/kg Gd-DOTA (r1 = 3.6 l mmol(-1) s(-1)). Two readers independently determined infarct size and contrast-to-noise ratios of infarcted myocardium to remote myocardium (CNR(remote)) and to the left ventricular lumen (CNR(lumen)). RESULTS: LGE was present in 14 patients. Infarct sizes determined after administration of gadobutrol [23.4 ml; 95 % CI (14.4; 32.5)] and Gd-DOTA [22.1 ml; 95 % CI (13.0; 31.1)] were not statistically different (P = 0.22). The CNR(remote) of LGE in infarcted myocardium on gadobutrol- and Gd-DOTA-enhanced images was 44.1 [95 % CI (31.0; 57.1)] and 45.2 [95 % CI (32.2; 58.3)], respectively (P = 0.73). CNR(lumen) was significantly higher on gadobutrol-enhanced LGE images [12.7; 95 % CI (2.5; 23.0) versus 6.8; 95 % CI (-3.5; 17.0); P = 0.02]. CONCLUSION: At relaxivity-adjusted doses, gadobutrol and Gd-DOTA yielded similar infarct sizes with superior contrast between infarcted myocardium and left ventricular lumen on gadobutrol-enhanced images.

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in dilated cardiomyopathy in adults--towards identification of myocardial inflammation.

OBJECTIVE: To assess active myocardial inflammation by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) and endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) amongst adult patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). METHODS: We evaluated 23 adults with chronic DCM, who had successfully undergone both CMR and EMB within 3.5 ± 2.6 days. EMB was considered the gold standard. CMR assessment of myocardial inflammation used the following parameters as recommended by the recently published "Lake Louise Criteria": global myocardial oedema, global relative enhancement (RE), and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE). According to "Lake Louise Criteria", myocardial inflammation was diagnosed if two or more of the three above-mentioned parameters were positive. RESULTS: Myocardial inflammation was confirmed by immunohistology in 12 patients (52.2%). Sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of CMR to detect immunohistologically confirmed myocardial inflammation were 75.0%, 72.7%, and 73.9%, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of the individual CMR parameters to detect myocardial inflammation were as follows: global myocardial oedema, 91.7%, 81.8%, and 87.0%, respectively; global RE, 58.3%, 63.6%, and 60.9%, respectively; LGE, 58.3%, 45.4%, and 52.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Global myocardial oedema was identified as a promising CMR parameter for assessment of myocardial inflammation in patients with DCM. In these patients, global myocardial oedema yielded superior diagnostic performance compared to "Lake Louise Criteria".

Age and gender-dependent bone density changes of the human skull disclosed by high-resolution flat-panel computed tomography.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this article was to estimate the age at death in forensic or anthropologic applications based on human skull investigation. Sex-dependent differences were analyzed. METHODS: Digital, high-resolution, flat-panel-based volumetric computed tomography (eXplore Locus Ultra scanner) images (165,920) of 244 European human skulls-163 males, 81 females-were analyzed according to their radiological bone density, based on Hounsfield units (H) that are directly related to the x-ray attenuation of the scanned material. Data were collected by the Department of Forensic Medicine at the University Hospital Giessen and Marburg during 2007 and 2008. Correlation analysis was used for data description. RESULTS: Human skull density estimates are widely scattered as a function of age for both sexes. Male skull bone density remains constant during lifetime, whereas female skull bone density decays slowly from approximately 20 years onwards. CONCLUSIONS: Bone density decay only theoretically provides a new method to determine age at death for adult females. Due to the scattering of the data, an accuracy of approximately ±18 years is found at a confidence interval of 75%, which is, unfortunately, of limited practical interest. We found new sex differences of bone density decay in the skull that are potentially of relevance for the general understanding of bone degradation processes.

Development of a signal-inducing bone cement for magnetic resonance imaging.

PURPOSE: To develop a signal-inducing bone cement for musculoskeletal procedures in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Acrylic resins were mixed with contrast agents (CAs) and water. We determined the ideal concentration of the components and assessed feasibility in cadaveric bones in an open high-field MR scanner. The contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) in air and bone was evaluated and mechanical tests were achieved. We determined the amount of water that was not incorporated and measured the amount of CA released with photometric analysis. The cement was analyzed microscopically. RESULTS: Preparation and application of the CA-water-cement compound was feasible and its differentiation in MRI was clear. The maximal CNR(air) had a value of 157.5 (SD 18.3) in an interventional fast T1W turbo-spin echo (TSE) sequence. The compressive strength decreased with the amount of water added. Although nearly 50% of the water added was not incorporated in the cement, the CNR was sufficient for cement detection. The threshold for systemic toxicity of delivered CA was not reached and the microscopic analysis showed water bubbles in the cement. CONCLUSION: A signal-inducing bone cement is feasible for the use in MRI.

Stress-buffering effects of physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness on metabolic syndrome: A prospective study in police officers.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a worldwide health concern related to cardiovascular disease. Stress at work increases the risk for MetS, whereas physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness (CF) have been shown to be potential buffers against stress. The aim of this study was to test the stress-buffering effects of physical activity and CF on the relationship between work stress and MetS. In a prospective study, we followed 97 police officers (mean age = 39.7 years; mean body mass index = 25.74 kg/m2) over one year and assessed MetS, as defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III. Stress at work was measured with the Job Content Questionnaire, as well as the Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire. Physical activity was assessed objectively via 7-day accelerometry. CF was assessed with the Åstrand bicycle ergometer test. Hierarchical linear regression models were carried out to predict MetS at follow-up (mean overall MetS score = 1.22), after controlling for baseline levels and sociodemographic background (mean overall MetS score = 1.19). Higher CF levels were significantly associated with lower MetS risk at follow-up (ß = -.38). By contrast, no main effects were found for physical activity and work stress. However, high effort and demand were significantly correlated with increased blood pressure (effort: r = .23 for systolic blood pressure; r = .21 for diastolic blood pressure) and waist circumference (effort: r = .26; demand: r = .23). Moreover, no significant interaction effects occurred between work stress and CF/physical activity. The results emphasize the importance of high levels of CF in the prevention of MetS in police officers. Accordingly, provision of regular training opportunities and repeated CF testing should be considered as a strategy in overall corporate health promotion.

Does Cardiorespiratory Fitness Buffer Stress Reactivity and Stress Recovery in Police Officers? A Real-Life Study.

High levels of cardiorespiratory fitness have the potential to buffer against physical and mental health impairments, which can result from exposure to occupational stress. Police officers are especially at risk of high psychosocial stress; therefore, effective intervention strategies are warranted. Given this background, the purpose of the present study was to examine whether police officers with different levels of cardiorespiratory fitness differ with regard to their (a) physiological stress reactivity during acute real-life stress situations, and (b) physiological recovery related to acute and chronic work stress. In total, 201 police officers took part in this study (M = 38.6 years, SD = 10.1, 35.8% females). Officers were contacted eight times on a smartphone during their workday, and asked to report their current level of positive and negative affect, as well as feelings of stress and anger. Physiological stress responses and recovery (heart rate variability) were assessed using Movisens EcgMove3 devices. The Åstrand bicycle ergometer test was used to assess participants' cardiorespiratory fitness. Chronic work stress was assessed using the effort-reward imbalance model and the job strain model. Multilevel modeling was used to test buffering effects of cardiorespiratory fitness on physiological stress reactivity. Linear regression was applied to test stress-buffering effects of cardiorespiratory fitness on physiological recovery. Results showed lowered physiological stress reactivity to acute work stress in officers with higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness. However, these results were not consistent, with no effects occurring for feelings of anger, positive affect, and negative affect. Chronic work stress (effort-reward imbalance) was related to lower physiological recovery. Cardiorespiratory fitness was positively related to physiological recovery. Data did not support interactions between work stress and cardiorespiratory fitness on physiological recovery. To some extent, cardiorespiratory fitness seems to have the potential to buffer stress reactivity in police officers in acute stress situations. Therefore, we encourage promoting fitness programs which aim to enhance cardiorespiratory fitness in stressful occupations such as law enforcement. Improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness might further enhance physiological recovery from chronic work stress, which is thought to improve cardiovascular health.

Osteochondral lesions of the talus: retrograde drilling with high-field-strength MR guidance.

The institutional review board approved the use of cadaveric specimens, and informed consent was obtained from all volunteers. The authors performed and assessed a magnetic resonance (MR)-assisted navigation method for minimally invasive retrograde drilling of talar osteochondral lesions. For this method, a single imaging plane is sufficient for navigation during intervention. To accomplish this objective, a passive MR navigation device was used to evaluate 16 cadaveric ankle joints. Use of this interactive MR-assisted navigation method in combination with a passive aiming device allowed precise and rapid retrograde drilling of talar osteochondral lesions.

Stochastic calculus for uncoupled continuous-time random walks.

The continuous-time random walk (CTRW) is a pure-jump stochastic process with several applications not only in physics but also in insurance, finance, and economics. A definition is given for a class of stochastic integrals driven by a CTRW, which includes the Ito and Stratonovich cases. An uncoupled CTRW with zero-mean jumps is a martingale. It is proved that, as a consequence of the martingale transform theorem, if the CTRW is a martingale, the Ito integral is a martingale too. It is shown how the definition of the stochastic integrals can be used to easily compute them by Monte Carlo simulation. The relations between a CTRW, its quadratic variation, its Stratonovich integral, and its Ito integral are highlighted by numerical calculations when the jumps in space of the CTRW have a symmetric Lévy alpha -stable distribution and its waiting times have a one-parameter Mittag-Leffler distribution. Remarkably, these distributions have fat tails and an unbounded quadratic variation. In the diffusive limit of vanishing scale parameters, the probability density of this kind of CTRW satisfies the space-time fractional diffusion equation (FDE) or more in general the fractional Fokker-Planck equation, which generalizes the standard diffusion equation, solved by the probability density of the Wiener process, and thus provides a phenomenologic model of anomalous diffusion. We also provide an analytic expression for the quadratic variation of the stochastic process described by the FDE and check it by Monte Carlo.

Psychometric Properties and Convergent Validity of the Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure in Two German-Speaking Samples of Adult Workers and Police Officers.

Burnout is considered an occupation-related psychological syndrome consisting of emotional, physical, and cognitive exhaustion. To assess dimensions of burnout, the Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure (SMBM) is widely used, but its validity and reliability have rarely been examined in adult samples. The aim of this study is to examine the psychometric properties of the German version of the SMBM in two independent samples of adults. In total, 311 adult workers and 201 police officers completed the SMBM, and questionnaires related to perceived stress and mental well-being. Descriptive statistics, internal consistency, convergent validity, and factorial validity were assessed for both samples, separately for male and female participants. The German SMBM had adequate psychometric properties and sufficient convergent validity. In confirmatory factor analyses, we found a good fit for both the first- and second-order model. Furthermore, measurement invariance across gender was observed in both samples. Although the SMBM is a popular instrument among burnout researchers, this study demonstrates for the first time that the SMBM can be considered a valid and reliable tool to assess burnout symptoms in both male and female adults and across different professional groups. Furthermore, with its 14 items, the SMBM is a succinct and economic self-assessment tool for symptoms of burnout.

Does Cardiorespiratory Fitness Moderate the Association between Occupational Stress, Cardiovascular Risk, and Mental Health in Police Officers?

Background: Chronic exposure to occupational stress may lead to negative health consequences. Creating less stressful work environments and making employees physically and psychologically more resilient against stress are therefore two major public health concerns. This study examined whether cardiorespiratory fitness moderated the association between occupational stress, cardiovascular risk, and mental health. Methods: Stress was assessed via the Effort-Reward Imbalance and Job Demand-Control models in 201 police officers (36% women, Mage = 38.6 years). Higher levels of blood pressure, blood lipids, blood sugar, and unfavorable body composition were considered as cardiovascular risk factors. Burnout, insomnia and overall psychological distress were used as mental health indicators. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed with a submaximal bicycle test. Results: High cardiorespiratory fitness levels were associated with a reduced cardiometabolic risk, whereas high stress levels were associated with better mental health. Among participants who perceived a high Effort-Reward Imbalance, those with high fitness levels showed lower overall cardiovascular risk scores than their colleagues with low fitness levels. Conclusions: Work health programs for police officers should consider the early screening of burnout, sleep disturbances, and overall mental wellbeing. To increase cardiovascular health, including fitness tests in routine health checks and promoting physical activity to further increase cardiorespiratory fitness appears worthwhile.

When Low Leisure-Time Physical Activity Meets Unsatisfied Psychological Needs: Insights From a Stress-Buffer Perspective.

Background: Few studies have tested whether the stress-buffering effects of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) depend on other resources, such as the satisfaction of basic psychological needs. Therefore, the present study examines the interaction between perceived stress, LTPA and psychological need satisfaction (PNS) on occupational burnout symptoms in a sample of Swiss workers. Methods: The sample consisted of 306 employees (48% women; M age = 42.9 years, SD = 14.1). Perceived stress was assessed with the Perceived Stress Scale, LTPA with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, PNS (autonomy, relatedness, and competence) with the Need Satisfaction Scale, and occupational burnout symptoms with the Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure. A hierarchical regression analysis and single slopes tests were performed to examine two- and three-way interactions. Results: Stress was positively correlated with burnout, and negatively correlated with LTPA and PNS levels. LTPA was positively associated with PNS, and negatively correlated with burnout. A negative association existed between PNS and burnout. In the hierarchical regression analysis, all main effects, two- and three-way interactions were significant. People who engaged in more LTPA reported fewer burnout symptoms, if they reported high stress. However, the potential of LTPA to buffer stress was particularly evident in participants who reported low PNS. Conclusion: If adult workers are exposed to elevated stress, they are particularly likely to show increased burnout levels if they report low LTPA in combination with low PNS, specifically a lack of autonomy, competence and relatedness.

Further Evidence of the Zero-Association Between Symptoms of Insomnia and Facial Emotion Recognition-Results From a Sample of Adults in Their Late 30s.

Background: Restoring sleep is associated with favorable cognitive, emotional, and behavioral adaptations. As regards the association between sleep duration and facial emotion recognition (FER), results are conflicting, and as regards the association between symptoms of insomnia and FER, no study has been performed so far. Accordingly, the aim of the present study was to investigate whether subjective sleep was associated with FER, along with perceived stress and mental toughness. Method: A total of 201 police officers (mean age = 38.5 years, 64.2% males) took part in the present cross-sectional study. They completed questionnaires covering socio-demographic data, subjective symptoms of insomnia, perceived stress, and mental toughness. Further, they underwent a computerized FER test, consisting of facial emotion labeling and facial emotion matching. Results: Performance of FER (accuracy, speed) was unrelated to subjective symptoms of insomnia. Lower FER was associated with higher age, but not to perceived stress or mental toughness. No gender differences were observed. Higher symptoms of insomnia were associated with higher stress scores and lower scores of mental toughness. Conclusions: The pattern of results suggests that FER was not associated with symptoms of insomnia, understood as a proxy of sleep quality, among adults. This observation replicates those studies showing a zero-association between sleep and FER.

The utility of two interview-based physical activity questionnaires in healthy young adults: Comparison with accelerometer data.

BACKGROUND: Accurate assessment of physical activity is essential to determine the magnitude of the health-related benefits of regular physical activity. While physical activity questionnaires are easy to use, their accuracy in comparison to objective measures has been questioned. The purpose of the present study was to examine the utility of two interview-based questionnaires; a recently-developed instrument, the Simple Physical Activity Questionnaire (SIMPAQ), and the Seven Day-Physical Activity Recall (7DPAR). METHODS: Accelerometer data was collected in 72 university students (50% females). Telephone interviews were conducted to complete the SIMPAQ and the 7DPAR. RESULTS: Significant correlations (p < .001) were found between accelerometer-based moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), the amount of self-reported moderate-to-vigorous exercise assessed via the SIMPAQ (rho = .49), and vigorous physical activity assessed via the 7DPAR (rho = .50). Exercise assessed via the SIMPAQ was significantly correlated with the vigorous physical activity score of the 7DPAR (rho = .56, p < .001). While participants needed three minutes less to complete the SIMPAQ (p < .001), participants tended to be more confident about the accuracy of the answers they provided on the 7DPAR (p < .01). CONCLUSIONS: These two questionnaire measures of physical activity performed similarly in a healthy young adult sample. The SIMPAQ can be completed in 15 minutes, which could be an advantage in settings where time for physical activity assessment is limited.

Intraindividual comparison of T1 relaxation times after gadobutrol and Gd-DTPA administration for cardiac late enhancement imaging.

PURPOSE: To evaluate T1-relaxation times of chronic myocardial infarction (CMI) using gadobutrol and gadopentetate dimeglumine (Gd-DTPA) over time and to determine the optimal imaging window for late enhancement imaging with both contrast agents. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twelve patients with CMI were prospectively included and examined on a 1.5 T magnetic resonance (MR) system using relaxivity-adjusted doses of gadobutrol (0.15 mmol/kg) and Gd-DTPA (0.2 mmol/kg) in random order. T1-relaxation times of remote myocardium (RM), infarcted myocardium (IM), and left ventricular cavity (LVC) were assessed from short-axis TI scout imaging using the Look-Locker approach and compared intraindividually using a Wilcoxon paired signed-rank test (α<0.05). RESULTS: Within 3 min of contrast agent administration (CA), IM showed significantly lower T1-relaxation times than RM with both contrast agents, indicating beginning cardiac late enhancement. Differences between gadobutrol and Gd-DTPA in T1-relaxation times of IM and RM were statistically not significant through all time points. However, gadobutrol led to significantly higher T1-relaxation times of LVC than Gd-DTPA from 6 to 9 min (220 ± 15 ms vs. 195 ± 30 ms p<0.01) onwards, resulting in a significantly greater ΔT1 of IM to LVC at 9-12 min (-20 ± 35 ms vs. 0 ± 35 ms, p<0.05) and 12-15 min (-25 ± 45 ms vs. -10 ± 60 ms, p<0.05). Using Gd-DTPA, comparable ΔT1 values were reached only after 25-35 min. CONCLUSION: This study indicates good delineation of IM to RM with both contrast agents as early as 3 min after administration. However, we found significant differences in T1 relaxation times with greater ΔT1 IM-LVC using 0.15 mmol/kg gadobutrol compared to 0.20 mmol/kg Gd-DTPA after 9-15 min post-CA suggesting earlier differentiability of IM and LVC using gadobutrol.