Key result
Integrating a resonant circuit tuned to the Larmor frequency of the MR tomography into prosthetic heart valves can overcome RF artifacts and improve visualization during MRI-guided implantation.
Why the study?
Does integrating resonant circuits into prosthetic heart valves improve MRI visualization and overcome RF artifacts?
Does integrating resonant circuits into prosthetic heart valves improve MRI visualization and overcome RF artifacts?
Integrating resonant circuits into prosthetic heart valves can overcome MRI artifacts and improve visualization, potentially facilitating MRI-guided implantation.
Supports preclinical MRI-visible valve development; hypothesis-generating and requires human trials before clinical consideration.
Artificial heart valves comprising metal can cause significant MR image artifacts due to the material (susceptibility artifact) and/or electromagnetic characteristics (RF artifact). The purpose of our study was to examine current commercially available heart valve prostheses, integrate resonant circuits and to produce a prototype self-expanding heart valve for MRI-guided placement. Different types of commercially available heart valves were tested in MRI. Freshly excised porcine heart valves were sutured with 6-0 prolene into a 21 mm Nitinol stent. Resonant circuits were integrated into the heart valves and tuned to the Larmor frequency of the MRI (42.58 MHz for 1.0 T and about 64 MHz for 1.5 T and 128 MHz for 3T). The artifacts caused by the non-ferromagnetic heart valves and the Nitinol stent could be overcome. MRI signal could be enhanced using low flip angles <40 and visualization improved in 1T, 1.5T and 3T MRI. MRI-guided implantation was facilitated. A resonant circuit tuned to the Larmor frequency of the MR tomography can overcome the RF artifacts and thus improve the visualization of prosthetic heart valves.
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Immel et al. (2009) studied MRI artifacts from prosthetic heart valves. Integration of resonant circuits into prosthetic heart valves was evaluated on MRI signal enhancement and visualization improvement. Integrating a resonant circuit tuned to the Larmor frequency of the MR tomography into prosthetic heart valves can overcome RF artifacts and improve visualization during MRI-guided implantation.
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