Abstract #0034

Non-Invasive Visualization of the Complete Cardiac Conduction System using MR Microscopy

Min-Sig Hwang^1,2, Katja E. Odening³, Bum-Rak Choi³, Gideon Koren³, Stephen J. Blackband^1,2, John R. Forder^1,4

¹McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, FL, USA; ²Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; ³Cardiovascular Research Center, the Rhode Island Hospital, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; ⁴Radiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA

In this study, we demonstrate that MRI at microscopic resolutions, i.e. MR microscopy (MRM), combined with high angular resolution diffusion microscopy (HARDM), can describe non-invasively the complete cardiac conduction system and anatomical features in isolated rabbit hearts, as a precurser to developing a mathematical model of depolarizaton in the heart. The combined investigative technique of MRM and HARDM is observed to be an effective method of monitoring morphological changes occurring in the cardiac conduction system.