Developing a Cardiac Gating System for Magnetic Resonance Imaging of a mouse

Chaiyapoj NetsiriRice University, Houston, TX

Khokiat KengskoolFlorida International University, Miami, FL

Agenda

• Background

• Gating System

• Hardware

• Conclusion

Background

Animal MRI scanner Imaging probe

~250mm

Heart rate: 325-780 beat/minuteRespiratory rate: 94-163 breath/minute

Mouse’s organ imagingMouse’s organ imaging

Mouse

Kidney Liver

Problem: fast movement

~100 times averaging

Gating system

ECG cableRespiratorysensor

Results

Liver

Kidney

Conclusion

• Water-filled balloon and pressure sensor can be used in

• respiratory gating.

• Electronic system is inexpensive and easy to build.

• Double shield system can effectively protect ECG signal from

MRI scanning noise.

• Gating system provides significant improvement of image quality.