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Schreiber LM, Lohr D, Baltes S, Vogel U, Elabyad IA, Bille M, Reiter T, Kosmala A, Gassenmaier T, Stefanescu MR, Kollmann A, Aures J, Schnitter F, Pali M, Ueda Y, Williams T, Christa M, Hofmann U, Bauer W, Gerull B, Zernecke A, Ergün S, Terekhov M. Ultra-high field cardiac MRI in large animals and humans for translational cardiovascular research. Front Cardiovasc Med 2023; 10:1068390. [PMID: 37255709 PMCID: PMC10225557 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2023.1068390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
A key step in translational cardiovascular research is the use of large animal models to better understand normal and abnormal physiology, to test drugs or interventions, or to perform studies which would be considered unethical in human subjects. Ultrahigh field magnetic resonance imaging (UHF-MRI) at 7 T field strength is becoming increasingly available for imaging of the heart and, when compared to clinically established field strengths, promises better image quality and image information content, more precise functional analysis, potentially new image contrasts, and as all in-vivo imaging techniques, a reduction of the number of animals per study because of the possibility to scan every animal repeatedly. We present here a solution to the dual use problem of whole-body UHF-MRI systems, which are typically installed in clinical environments, to both UHF-MRI in large animals and humans. Moreover, we provide evidence that in such a research infrastructure UHF-MRI, and ideally combined with a standard small-bore UHF-MRI system, can contribute to a variety of spatial scales in translational cardiovascular research: from cardiac organoids, Zebra fish and rodent hearts to large animal models such as pigs and humans. We present pilot data from serial CINE, late gadolinium enhancement, and susceptibility weighted UHF-MRI in a myocardial infarction model over eight weeks. In 14 pigs which were delivered from a breeding facility in a national SARS-CoV-2 hotspot, we found no infection in the incoming pigs. Human scanning using CINE and phase contrast flow measurements provided good image quality of the left and right ventricle. Agreement of functional analysis between CINE and phase contrast MRI was excellent. MRI in arrested hearts or excised vascular tissue for MRI-based histologic imaging, structural imaging of myofiber and vascular smooth muscle cell architecture using high-resolution diffusion tensor imaging, and UHF-MRI for monitoring free radicals as a surrogate for MRI of reactive oxygen species in studies of oxidative stress are demonstrated. We conclude that UHF-MRI has the potential to become an important precision imaging modality in translational cardiovascular research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M. Schreiber
- Department of Cardiovascular Imaging and Chair of Molecular and Cellular Imaging, Comprehensive Heart Failure Center Wuerzburg (CHFC), University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - David Lohr
- Department of Cardiovascular Imaging and Chair of Molecular and Cellular Imaging, Comprehensive Heart Failure Center Wuerzburg (CHFC), University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Steffen Baltes
- Department of Cardiovascular Imaging and Chair of Molecular and Cellular Imaging, Comprehensive Heart Failure Center Wuerzburg (CHFC), University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Ulrich Vogel
- Institute for Hygiene and Microbiology, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Ibrahim A. Elabyad
- Department of Cardiovascular Imaging and Chair of Molecular and Cellular Imaging, Comprehensive Heart Failure Center Wuerzburg (CHFC), University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Maya Bille
- Department of Cardiovascular Imaging and Chair of Molecular and Cellular Imaging, Comprehensive Heart Failure Center Wuerzburg (CHFC), University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Theresa Reiter
- Department of Cardiovascular Imaging and Chair of Molecular and Cellular Imaging, Comprehensive Heart Failure Center Wuerzburg (CHFC), University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine I/Cardiology, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Aleksander Kosmala
- Department of Cardiovascular Imaging and Chair of Molecular and Cellular Imaging, Comprehensive Heart Failure Center Wuerzburg (CHFC), University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Gassenmaier
- Department of Cardiovascular Imaging and Chair of Molecular and Cellular Imaging, Comprehensive Heart Failure Center Wuerzburg (CHFC), University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Maria R. Stefanescu
- Department of Cardiovascular Imaging and Chair of Molecular and Cellular Imaging, Comprehensive Heart Failure Center Wuerzburg (CHFC), University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Alena Kollmann
- Department of Cardiovascular Imaging and Chair of Molecular and Cellular Imaging, Comprehensive Heart Failure Center Wuerzburg (CHFC), University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Julia Aures
- Department of Cardiovascular Imaging and Chair of Molecular and Cellular Imaging, Comprehensive Heart Failure Center Wuerzburg (CHFC), University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Florian Schnitter
- Department of Internal Medicine I/Cardiology, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Mihaela Pali
- Department of Cardiovascular Imaging and Chair of Molecular and Cellular Imaging, Comprehensive Heart Failure Center Wuerzburg (CHFC), University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Yuichiro Ueda
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Julius-Maximilians-University, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Tatiana Williams
- Department of Cardiovascular Genetics, Comprehensive Heart Failure Center Wuerzburg, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Martin Christa
- Department of Internal Medicine I/Cardiology, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Ulrich Hofmann
- Department of Internal Medicine I/Cardiology, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Bauer
- Department of Internal Medicine I/Cardiology, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Brenda Gerull
- Department of Internal Medicine I/Cardiology, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
- Department of Cardiovascular Genetics, Comprehensive Heart Failure Center Wuerzburg, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Alma Zernecke
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Süleyman Ergün
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Julius-Maximilians-University, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Maxim Terekhov
- Department of Cardiovascular Imaging and Chair of Molecular and Cellular Imaging, Comprehensive Heart Failure Center Wuerzburg (CHFC), University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
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Schmidt R, Keban E, Bollmann S, Wiggins CJ, Niendorf T. Scaling the mountains: what lies above 7 Tesla magnetic resonance? MAGMA 2023; 36:151-157. [PMID: 37072540 PMCID: PMC10140119 DOI: 10.1007/s10334-023-01087-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Rita Schmidt
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Elena Keban
- Department of Diagnostic, Interventional and Pediatric Radiology, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Saskia Bollmann
- School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Christopher J Wiggins
- Imaging Core Facility, Institute for Neurology and Medicine, Forschungszentrum Julich, Julich, Germany
| | - Thoralf Niendorf
- Berlin Ultrahigh Field Facility, Max-Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany.
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Ladd ME, Quick HH, Speck O, Bock M, Doerfler A, Forsting M, Hennig J, Ittermann B, Möller HE, Nagel AM, Niendorf T, Remy S, Schaeffter T, Scheffler K, Schlemmer HP, Schmitter S, Schreiber L, Shah NJ, Stöcker T, Uder M, Villringer A, Weiskopf N, Zaiss M, Zaitsev M. Germany's journey toward 14 Tesla human magnetic resonance. MAGMA 2023; 36:191-210. [PMID: 37029886 PMCID: PMC10140098 DOI: 10.1007/s10334-023-01085-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2023]
Abstract
Multiple sites within Germany operate human MRI systems with magnetic fields either at 7 Tesla or 9.4 Tesla. In 2013, these sites formed a network to facilitate and harmonize the research being conducted at the different sites and make this technology available to a larger community of researchers and clinicians not only within Germany, but also worldwide. The German Ultrahigh Field Imaging (GUFI) network has defined a strategic goal to establish a 14 Tesla whole-body human MRI system as a national research resource in Germany as the next progression in magnetic field strength. This paper summarizes the history of this initiative, the current status, the motivation for pursuing MR imaging and spectroscopy at such a high magnetic field strength, and the technical and funding challenges involved. It focuses on the scientific and science policy process from the perspective in Germany, and is not intended to be a comprehensive systematic review of the benefits and technical challenges of higher field strengths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark E Ladd
- Medical Physics in Radiology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
- Faculty of Medicine, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
- Faculty of Physics and Astronomy, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
- Erwin L. Hahn Institute for MRI, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
| | - Harald H Quick
- Erwin L. Hahn Institute for MRI, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
- High-Field and Hybrid MR Imaging, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Oliver Speck
- Department of Biomedical Magnetic Resonance, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
- Center for Behavioural Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology (LIN), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Michael Bock
- Division of Medical Physics, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Arnd Doerfler
- Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Michael Forsting
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Jürgen Hennig
- Division of Medical Physics, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Bernd Ittermann
- Medical Physics and Metrological Information Technology, Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Harald E Möller
- Methods and Development Group Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Armin M Nagel
- Medical Physics in Radiology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute of Radiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Thoralf Niendorf
- Berlin Ultrahigh Field Facility (B.U.F.F.), Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Remy
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology (LIN), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Schaeffter
- Medical Physics and Metrological Information Technology, Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Klaus Scheffler
- Magnetic Resonance Center, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Biomedical Magnetic Resonance, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Sebastian Schmitter
- Medical Physics and Metrological Information Technology, Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Laura Schreiber
- Department of Cardiovascular Imaging, Comprehensive Heart Failure Center, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - N Jon Shah
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine - 4, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Tony Stöcker
- MR Physics, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Michael Uder
- Institute of Radiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Arno Villringer
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nikolaus Weiskopf
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Felix Bloch Institute for Solid State Physics, Faculty of Physics and Earth Sciences, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Moritz Zaiss
- Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Maxim Zaitsev
- Division of Medical Physics, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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Nurzed B, Kuehne A, Aigner CS, Schmitter S, Niendorf T, Eigentler TW. Radiofrequency antenna concepts for human cardiac MR at 14.0 T. MAGMA 2023; 36:257-277. [PMID: 36920549 PMCID: PMC10140016 DOI: 10.1007/s10334-023-01075-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the feasibility of human cardiac MR (CMR) at 14.0 T using high-density radiofrequency (RF) dipole transceiver arrays in conjunction with static and dynamic parallel transmission (pTx). MATERIALS AND METHODS RF arrays comprised of self-grounded bow-tie (SGBT) antennas, bow-tie (BT) antennas, or fractionated dipole (FD) antennas were used in this simulation study. Static and dynamic pTx were applied to enhance transmission field (B1+) uniformity and efficiency in the heart of the human voxel model. B1+ distribution and maximum specific absorption rate averaged over 10 g tissue (SAR10g) were examined at 7.0 T and 14.0 T. RESULTS At 14.0 T static pTx revealed a minimum B1+ROI efficiency of 0.91 μT/√kW (SGBT), 0.73 μT/√kW (BT), and 0.56 μT/√kW (FD) and maximum SAR10g of 4.24 W/kg, 1.45 W/kg, and 2.04 W/kg. Dynamic pTx with 8 kT points indicate a balance between B1+ROI homogeneity (coefficient of variation < 14%) and efficiency (minimum B1+ROI > 1.11 µT/√kW) at 14.0 T with a maximum SAR10g < 5.25 W/kg. DISCUSSION MRI of the human heart at 14.0 T is feasible from an electrodynamic and theoretical standpoint, provided that multi-channel high-density antennas are arranged accordingly. These findings provide a technical foundation for further explorations into CMR at 14.0 T.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bilguun Nurzed
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin Ultrahigh Field Facility (B.U.F.F.), Robert Rössle Strasse 10, 13125, Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Thoralf Niendorf
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin Ultrahigh Field Facility (B.U.F.F.), Robert Rössle Strasse 10, 13125, Berlin, Germany.
- MRI.TOOLS GmbH, Berlin, Germany.
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center (ECRC), a joint cooperation between the Charité Medical Faculty and the Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Thomas Wilhelm Eigentler
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin Ultrahigh Field Facility (B.U.F.F.), Robert Rössle Strasse 10, 13125, Berlin, Germany
- Chair of Medical Engineering, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Esmaeili M, Vettukattil R. In Vivo Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Methods for Investigating Cardiac Metabolism. Metabolites 2022; 12:189. [PMID: 35208262 PMCID: PMC8877606 DOI: 10.3390/metabo12020189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is a non-invasive and non-ionizing technique, enabling in vivo investigation of cardiac metabolism in normal and diseased hearts. In vivo measurement tools are critical for studying mechanisms that regulate cardiac energy metabolism in disease developments and to assist in early response assessments to novel therapies. For cardiac MRS, proton (1H), phosphorus (31P), and hyperpolarized 13-carbon (13C) provide valuable metabolic information for diagnosis and treatment assessment purposes. Currently, low sensitivity and some technical limitations limit the utility of MRS. An essential step in translating MRS for clinical use involves further technological improvements, particularly in coil design, improving the signal-to-noise ratios, field homogeneity, and optimizing radiofrequency sequences. This review addresses the recent advances in metabolic imaging by MRS from primarily the literature published since 2015.
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