Real time magnetic resonance guided endomyocardial local delivery

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Imaging
• Medical Device Engineering
• Interventional Cardiology

Background:

• Precise delivery of therapeutic agents to the left ventricle myocardium is crucial for regenerative medicine.
• Current methods for catheter guidance in cardiac procedures can be limited in real-time visualization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of using a custom-designed injection catheter with an integrated coil for real-time MR imaging.
• To evaluate the catheter's ability to target specific areas of the left ventricle myocardium.

Main Methods:

• A novel needle injection catheter with a tip-mounted resonant solenoid circuit (coil) was developed.
• A 1.5 T MR scanner with a customized real-time sequence was utilized for in-room imaging.
• Injections of a gadolinium-DTPA and Indian ink mixture were performed in various myocardial regions.

Main Results:

• Real-time MR imaging at 10 frames/second provided clear visualization of the catheter's movement through the aorta and into the ventricle.
• All ventricle wall segments were successfully targeted without requiring additional image enhancement.
• All injections were accurately visualized in real-time and confirmed by gross pathology.

Conclusions:

• The developed tracking device facilitates real-time in vivo visualization of catheters within the aorta and left ventricle.
• Precise targeting of myocardial areas was achieved, indicating the potential for accurate agent delivery.
• This real-time catheter tracking technology may enhance the delivery of agents for cardiac tissue regeneration.