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Updated: Feb 25, 2026

Quantification of Mouse Heart Left Ventricular Function, Myocardial Strain, and Hemodynamic Forces by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Published on: May 24, 2021
Dynamic bicycle exercise to assess cardiac output at multiple exercise levels during magnetic resonance imaging
Johan Heiberg1, Benjamin Asschenfeldt1, Marie Maagaard1
1Dept. of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark; Dept. of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark.
Purpose:
The aim was to establish a method for performing dynamic exercise during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using a slowly increasing workload protocol.
Methods:
An ergometer bicycle with a step-wise, exercise protocol was used. Real-time phase-contrast MRI images of the aorta were obtained at each exercise step.
Results:
In total, 40 participants completed the exercise protocol to reach a mean maximum cardiac output of 13.7±3.7l/min and a heart rate of 150±16beats/min at the highest exercise level. Less than 1% of scans were discarded due to poor quality.
Conclusions:
Dynamic, high intensity exercise is feasible during MRI.
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