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Assessment of Global Cardiac Function

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In vivo NMR Imaging

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 771))

Abstract

High-resolution magnetic resonance cine imaging (cine-MRI) allows for a non-invasive assessment of ventricular function and mass in normal mice and in genetically and surgically modified mouse models of cardiac disease. The assessment of myocardial mass and function by cine-MRI does not rely on geometric assumptions, as the hearts are covered from the base to the apex, typically by a stack of two-dimensional images. The MR data acquisition is then followed by image segmentation of specific cine frames in each slice to obtain geometric and functional parameters, such as end-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV) or ejection fraction (EF). This technique has been well established in clinical routine application and it is now also becoming the reference method in experimental cardiovascular MRI. The cine images are typically acquired in short- and long-axis orientations of the heart to facilitate an accurate assessment of cardiac functional parameters. These views can be difficult to identify, particularly in animals with diseased hearts. Furthermore, data analysis can be the source of a systematic error, mainly for myocardial mass measurement. We have established protocols that allow for a quick and reproducible way of obtaining the relevant cardiac views for cine-MRI, and for accurate image analysis.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF, Grant No. BS/06/001). We thank Ms Hannah Barnes for critical reading of the manuscript and segmentation of the cine data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. British Heart Foundation Experimental MR Unit (BMRU), Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK

    Jürgen E. Schneider

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  1. Jürgen E. Schneider
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Correspondence to Jürgen E. Schneider .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. ERC Project BiosensorImaging, Leibniz-Institut für Molekulare Pharmako, Robert-Roessle-Str. 10, Berlin, 13125, Germany

    Leif Schröder

  2. Inst. Klinische Radiologie, AG Experimentelle, Universität Münster, Haus Rosenbach Waldeyerstr. 1, Münster, 48149, Germany

    Cornelius Faber

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Schneider, J.E. (2011). Assessment of Global Cardiac Function. In: Schröder, L., Faber, C. (eds) In vivo NMR Imaging. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 771. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-219-9_20

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-219-9_20

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-61779-218-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-61779-219-9

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