Electrocardiograph-independent, “wireless” cardiovascular cine MR imaging

✍ Scribed by Richard D. White; Cynthia B. Paschal; Mark E. Clampitt; Thomas A. Spraggins; Gerald W. Lenz

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1991
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 944 KB
• Volume: 1
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1053-1807
• DOI: 10.1002/jmri.1880010313

✦ Synopsis

A new electrocardiograph (ECG)-independent, "wireless" gating technique for cine magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was evaluated in 23 cases of cardiovascular disease; in each case, standard ECG-dependent image loops were available for comparison. The ECG-independent strategy references cine MR imaging data retrospectively to inherent periodic changes in MR signal related to the cardiac cycle. With a "double-section" method, both timing data reflecting such changes and imaging data can be acquired simultaneously. "Artificial R waves" are extracted from the timing data acquired with a projection approach. The ECG-independent image loops were diagnostic in 91% of cases. Their overall image quality was at least equal to that of available ECG-dependent versions in only 39% of cases, but this proportion increased to 53% if cases with suboptimal imaging orientations for monitoring of the motion-dependent signal changes were excluded. Orientation appeared to be the primary technical limitation associated with this ECG-independent technique; however, poor ventricular function also significantly impaired performance. Improvement in the performance of the ECG-independent strategy is anticipated with technical advances.