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Updated: Jul 18, 2026
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Retrospective Cardiac Gating with A Prototype Small-Animal X-ray Computed Tomograph
Published on: February 21, 2025
Comparison between prospective and retrospective triggering for mouse cardiac MRI.
Edwin Heijman1, Wolter de Graaf, Petra Niessen
1Biomedical NMR, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. e.heijman@tue.nl
NMR in Biomedicine
|November 23, 2006
Summary
This study introduces a novel retrospective cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method for mouse hearts, eliminating the need for ECG or motion sensors. This technique provides motion-free images essential for accurate cardiac function analysis.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Imaging
- Biomedical Engineering
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Background:
- High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is crucial for studying the mouse heart non-invasively.
- Existing methods often rely on ECG leads and respiratory motion sensors, which can be cumbersome.
- Accurate cardiac imaging is essential for understanding heart function in health and disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a retrospective Cartesian CINE MRI protocol for in vivo mouse heart imaging.
- To eliminate the need for external ECG leads and respiratory motion sensors.
- To enable steady-state imaging for quantitative contrast-enhanced MRI studies.
Main Methods:
- A fast low-angle shot sequence with a navigator echo was employed for retrospective cardiac triggering and respiratory gating.
- The developed protocol was used for in vivo MRI of the mouse heart.
- Prospective and retrospective methods were compared regarding image quality and cardiac function indices.
Main Results:
- The retrospective method generated cardiac cine (CINE) MRI images free of detectable cardiac and respiratory motion artifacts.
- While signal-to-noise and contrast-to-noise ratios were slightly reduced compared to prospective methods, cardiac functional indices remained comparable.
- The largest mean relative difference for global cardiac functional indices was 8% for end-systolic volume.
Conclusions:
- The retrospective navigator-based CINE MRI protocol is a viable alternative for motion-free mouse heart imaging.
- This method simplifies the imaging process by removing the need for ECG and respiratory sensors.
- The technique supports quantitative imaging and accurate assessment of cardiac function in mice.
