Abstract #0017

Van Echteld C, Van de Kolk C, Te Boekhorst B, Nederhoff M, Nauerth A, Jansen M

Conventional cardiac cine MR images are obtained with ECG and respiratory gating. In animal, and in particular in mouse, cardiac MRI, the quality of the ECG signal is variable and frequently deteriorates over time, especially for mice with myocardial infarction or cardiac hypertrophy. Sometimes ECG gated cardiac MRI is not possible at all due to severe cardiac conduction disturbances. Therefore, we have explored a newly developed navigator-based retrospective gating technique based on a gradient echo with very high temporal resolution on adult healthy control mice and mice with large myocardial infarctions. We conclude that self gated, wireless cine MRI 1)allows accurate analysis of mouse heart function when ECG and respiratory gated cine MRI fails, 2) allows a higher throughput, since the instrumentation with ECG electrodes is obviated and 3)shows less flow artifacts.