title: Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients with an Implantable Loop Recorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Implantable loop recorders (ILRs) allow continuous cardiac monitoring for 3-6 years and are a valuable tool for the investigation of syncopal episodes, palpitations, and atrial fibrillations as well as risk stratification after myocardial infarction. Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with ILRs has been shown to be safe, the impact of ILRs on cardiac MRI image quality has not been investigated yet. Thus, we tested the diagnostic value of cardiac MRI in patients with various types of ILRs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two patients with an ILR and a clinical indication to assess myocardial burden of scarring and fibrosis or stress-induced myocardial ischemia underwent cardiac MRI. Device interrogation was performed prior to, immediately after, and 3 months after cardiac MRI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The post-MRI follow-ups revealed no change in programmed ILR parameters, sensing fidelity, and battery parameters. However, ILRs caused significant, uninterpretable hyperintensity artifacts in cardiac MRI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further clinical studies are warranted to investigate whether modified MRI techniques are helpful to eliminate imaging artifacts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Blaschke
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lacour
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Thula
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wutzler
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huemer
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Abdul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parwani
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Attanasio
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Leif-Hendrik
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Boldt
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Markowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Timm
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Denecke
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Wilhelm
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Haverkamp
keywords: arrhythmia; cardiac magnetic resonance imaging; imaging artifacts; implantable loop recorder