title: An isolated perfused pig heart model for the development, validation and translation of novel cardiovascular magnetic resonance techniques.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Novel cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) techniques and imaging biomarkers are often validated in small animal models or empirically in patients. Direct translation of small animal CMR protocols to humans is rarely possible, while validation in humans is often difficult, slow and occasionally not possible due to ethical considerations. The aim of this study is to overcome these limitations by introducing an MR-compatible, free beating, blood-perfused, isolated pig heart model for the development of novel CMR methodology.
  
  
  METHODS
  6 hearts were perfused outside of the MR environment to establish preparation stability. Coronary perfusion pressure (CPP), coronary blood flow (CBF), left ventricular pressure (LVP), arterial blood gas and electrolyte composition were monitored over 4 hours. Further hearts were perfused within 3T (n = 3) and 1.5T (n = 3) clinical MR scanners, and characterised using functional (CINE), perfusion and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) imaging. Perfusion imaging was performed globally and selectively for the right (RCA) and left coronary artery (LCA). In one heart the RCA perfusion territory was determined and compared to infarct size after coronary occlusion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All physiological parameters measured remained stable and within normal ranges. The model proved amenable to CMR at both field strengths using typical clinical acquisitions. There was good agreement between the RCA perfusion territory measured by selective first pass perfusion and LGE after coronary occlusion (37% versus 36% of the LV respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This flexible model allows imaging of cardiac function in a controllable, beating, human-sized heart using clinical MR systems. It should aid further development, validation and clinical translation of novel CMR methodologies, and imaging sequences.
authors.affiliation: King's College London BHF Centre of Excellence, NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Guy's and St, Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Division of Imaging Sciences, The Rayne Institute, London, UK.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schuster
authors.forename: Inga
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Grünwald
authors.forename: Amedeo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chiribiri
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Southworth
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hay
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.forename: Geraint
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morton
authors.forename: Divaka
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Perera
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schaeffter
authors.forename: Eike
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nagel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D054059:Coronary Occlusion / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D055414:Myocardial Perfusion Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D010477:Perfusion; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013552:Swine; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical; D016276:Ventricular Function; D017725:Ventricular Pressure
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C090600:gadobutrol