title: MRI compatible small animal monitoring and trigger system for whole body scanners.
abstract: Performing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) experiments with small animals requires continuous monitoring of vital parameters, especially the respiration rate. Clinical whole-body MR scanners represent an attractive option for preclinical imaging as dedicated animal scanners are cost-intensive in both investment and maintenance, thus limiting their availability. Even though impressive image quality is achievable with clinical MR systems in combination with special coils, their built-in physiologic monitoring and triggering units are often not suited for small animal imaging. In this work, we present a simple, MRI compatible low cost solution to monitor the respiration and heart rate of small animals in a clinical whole-body MR scanner. The recording and processing of the biosignals as well as the optimisation of the respiratory trigger generation is decribed. Additionally rat and mouse in-vivo MRI experiments are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the monitoring and respiratory trigger system in suppressing motion artifacts.
authors: Medical Physics Group, Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology I, Jena University Hospital, Philosophenweg 3, Gebäude 5, 07743 Jena, Germany. Electronic address: karl-heinz.herrmann@med.uni-jena.de.
authors: Karl-Heinz
authors: KH
authors: Herrmann
authors: Medical Physics Group, Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology I, Jena University Hospital, Philosophenweg 3, Gebäude 5, 07743 Jena, Germany; Ernst-Abbe-Fachhochschule Jena, Carl-Zeiss-Promenade 2, 07745 Jena, Germany.
authors: Norman
authors: N
authors: Pfeiffer
authors: Medical Physics Group, Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology I, Jena University Hospital, Philosophenweg 3, Gebäude 5, 07743 Jena, Germany.
authors: Ines
authors: I
authors: Krumbein
authors: Ernst-Abbe-Fachhochschule Jena, Carl-Zeiss-Promenade 2, 07745 Jena, Germany.
authors: Lutz
authors: L
authors: Herrmann
authors: Medical Physics Group, Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology I, Jena University Hospital, Philosophenweg 3, Gebäude 5, 07743 Jena, Germany.
authors: Jürgen R
authors: JR
authors: Reichenbach
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D055424:Cardiac-Gated Imaging Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000662:veterinary; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000662:veterinary*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D055425:Respiratory-Gated Imaging Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000662:veterinary*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D051598:Whole Body Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Atemtriggerung; Bewegungsunterdrückung; Kleintierbildgebung; MRI; MRT; Small animal imaging; motion suppression; physiological monitoring; physiologische Überwachung; respiratory trigger