In vitro determination of cardiac ventricular volumes using MRI at 1.0 T in a porcine heart model.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the accuracy of a 1.0 T MR system with a standard gradient system for quantification of left and right ventricular volumes. A porcine heart model in vitro was used.


METHODS
In eight explanted porcine hearts the atria were removed and the aorta and the pulmonary truncus were cannulated. Defined volumes were injected into the ventricles. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): FFE-EPI (Multishot EPI) was used. Papillary muscles and trabeculae were excluded. True volumes and MR measurements were analysed separately for both ventricles and by both investigators.


RESULTS
The correlation of the true volumes and MR measurements was >0.99. MRI was found to be investigator independent in assessing right and left ventricular volumes in vitro.


CONCLUSIONS
MRI at 1.0 T using standard equipment can be used to quantitate cardiac ventricular volumes in vitro with high accuracy.
Koch
J A
JA
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany. kochja@uni-duesseldorf.de
Poll
L W
LW
Godehardt
E
E
Korbmacher
B
B
Jung
G
G
Mödder
U
U
D000818:Animals; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D023421:Models, Animal; D012984:Software; D013552:Swine