MAGNETIC-RESONANCE MICROIMAGING FOR NONINVASIVE QUANTIFICATION OF MYOCARDIAL-FUNCTION AND MASS IN THE MOUSE

The purpose of this work was to develop high-resolution cardiac magnet ic resonance imaging techniques for the in vivo mouse model for quanti fication of myocardial function and mass. Eight male mice were investi gated on a 7-Tesla MRI scanner. High-quality images in multiple short axis slices (inplane resolution 117 mu m(2), slice thickness 1 mm) wer e acquired with an EGG-gated cine sequence. Left ventricular end-diast olic and end-systolic volumes and mass were calculated from segmented slice volumes. There was precise agreement of left ventricular mass de termined ex vivo and by MRI. Intraobserver (5%) and interobserver (5%) variability of in vivo MR measurements were low.