Tobias Frauenrath1, Fabian Hezel1,
Wolfgang Renz2, Florian von Knobelsdorff-Brenkenhoff3,
Thibaut de Geyer dOrth1, Marcel Prothmann3, Matthias
Dieringer1, Kerstin Kretschel3, Jeanette Schulz-Menger3,4,
Thoralf Niendorf1,4
1Berlin Ultrahigh Field Facility,
Max-Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany; 2Siemens
Medical Solutions, Erlangen, Germany; 3Franz-Volhard-Klinik for
Cardiology, Helios Klinikum Berlin-Buch, Charit Campus Buch, Germany; 4Experimental
and Clinical Research Center (ECRC), Charit Campus Buch,
Humboldt-University, Berlin, Germany
As
ultrahigh field cardiac MRI becomes more widespread in the (pre)clinical
research arena the propensity of ECG recordings to interference from
electromagnetic fields and magneto-hydrodynamic effects increases and with it
the motivation for a practical gating/triggering alternative. This study
compares the feasibility, efficacy and reliability phonocardiogram (ACT),
vector electrocardiogram (VCG) and traditional pulse oximetry (pO2) triggered
MRI for left ventricular function assessment at 7.0T. ACTs intrinsic
insensitivity to interference from electro-magnetic fields and
magneto-hydrodynamic effects results in an excellent trigger reliability and
renders it suitable for global cardiac function assessment at ultrahigh
magnetic field strengths.