2012/01/13 by Jin Yamamura, Inga Kopp, Michael Frisch +7
Medicine · #Congenital Heart Disease Studies #Fetal and Pediatric Neurological Disorders #Neonatal and fetal brain pathology
paper · pdf · doi:10.1002/jmri.23541
openalex publication_date 2012/01/13 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22
PURPOSE: To investigate MRI of the fetal heart by way of a novel triggering method with the use of an MR-compatible cardiotocography (CTG) in an animal model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fetal cardiac MRI was performed on four pregnant ewes on a 1.5 Tesla (T) MR system. A CTG was rendered MR compatible and its signal was used for the triggering of the fetal heart to perform cardiac cine MRI of the fetal heart with maternal free-breathing with cine steady-state free precession. The left ventricular volume and function were measured from the short-axis (view). The image quality of anatomical structures was assessed. RESULTS: All cardiac valves and the foramen ovale could be visualized. Myocardial contraction was depicted in cine sequences. The average blood volume at the end systole was 1.7 mL (SD ± 0.12). The average volume at the end diastole was 4.6 mL (± 0.4); thus the average stroke volumes of the left ventricle were 2.87 mL (± 0.31) with ejection fractions of 60.53% (± 4.17). CONCLUSION: The newly developed MR compatible CTG could be used as a tool for cardiac triggering method of the fetal heart. This novel device might help fetal cardiac MRI technology in the future.