Dynamic NMR cardiac imaging in a piglet

Abstract

NMR echo-planar imaging (EPI) was used in a realtime mode to visualize the thorax of a live piglet. Moving pictures are available on an immediate image display system which demonstrates dynamic cardiac function. Frame rates vary from 1 per cardiac cycle in a prospective stroboscopic mode with immediate visual output to a maximum of 10 frames/s yielding up to 6 looks in 1 piglet heart cycle, but using a visual playback mode. A completely new system was used to obtain these images, features of which include a probe assembly with 22 cm access and an AP400 array processor for real-time data processing.