Jin Yamamura1, Klaus Valett2,
Roland Fischer3,4, Gerhard Adam1, Ulrike Wedegaertner1
1Diagnostic &
Interventional Radiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf,
Hamburg, Germany; 2Positronic Systemtechnik GmbH, Hamburg,
Germany; 3University Medical Center, Germany; 4Childrens
Hospital & Research Center Oakland, Oakland, CA, United States
This feasibility study is based on performing cardiac MR imaging of the fetal heart in utero. The Doppler ultrasound probe of a standard cardiotocograph (CTG) was re-designed as a triggering device to be MRI compatible. The obtained images were compared with images from pulse-wave (PW) triggering of the fetal heart.The newly developed MR compatible cardiotocograph with its ultrasound transducer allowed a sufficient cardiac triggering of the fetal heart without artifacts during the whole study. The so obtained cardiac MR images were comparable and as sufficient as pulse wave triggered MR images. This is new device should be applicable on the human fetus as well.