Price Anthony N, Cheung King K, Cleary Jon O, Campbell Adrienne E, Riegler Johannes, Lythgoe Mark F
UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, Department of Medicine and UCL Institute of Child Health, University College London, UK.
Open Cardiovasc Med J. 2010 Nov 26;4:278-92. doi: 10.2174/1874192401004010278.
Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is the modality of choice for clinical studies of the heart and vasculature, offering detailed images of both structure and function with high temporal resolution.Small animals are increasingly used for genetic and translational research, in conjunction with models of common pathologies such as myocardial infarction. In all cases, effective methods for characterising a wide range of functional and anatomical parameters are crucial for robust studies.CMR is the gold-standard for the non-invasive examination of these models, although physiological differences, such as rapid heart rate, make this a greater challenge than conventional clinical imaging. However, with the help of specialised magnetic resonance (MR) systems, novel gating strategies and optimised pulse sequences, high-quality images can be obtained in these animals despite their small size. In this review, we provide an overview of the principal CMR techniques for small animals for example cine, angiography and perfusion imaging, which can provide measures such as ejection fraction, vessel anatomy and local blood flow, respectively. In combination with MR contrast agents, regional dysfunction in the heart can also be identified and assessed. We also discuss optimal methods for analysing CMR data, particularly the use of semi-automated tools for parameter measurement to reduce analysis time. Finally, we describe current and emerging methods for imaging the developing heart, aiding characterisation of congenital cardiovascular defects. Advanced small animal CMR now offers an unparalleled range of cardiovascular assessments. Employing these methods should allow new insights into the structural, functional and molecular basis of the cardiovascular system.
心血管磁共振（CMR）成像技术是心脏和血管临床研究的首选方式，能够以高时间分辨率提供心脏结构和功能的详细图像。越来越多的小动物被用于基因和转化研究，并与诸如心肌梗死等常见病理模型相结合。在所有情况下，有效表征各种功能和解剖参数的方法对于可靠的研究至关重要。CMR是这些模型无创检查的金标准，尽管诸如心率过快等生理差异使得这项工作比传统临床成像更具挑战性。然而，借助专门的磁共振（MR）系统、新颖的门控策略和优化的脉冲序列，尽管动物体型小，仍可在这些动物身上获得高质量图像。在本综述中，我们概述了用于小动物的主要CMR技术，例如电影成像、血管造影和灌注成像，它们可分别提供诸如射血分数、血管解剖结构和局部血流等测量值。结合MR造影剂，还可识别和评估心脏局部功能障碍。我们还讨论了分析CMR数据的最佳方法，特别是使用半自动工具进行参数测量以减少分析时间。最后，我们描述了当前和新兴的用于发育中心脏成像的方法，有助于先天性心血管缺陷的特征描述。先进的小动物CMR现在提供了无与伦比的一系列心血管评估。采用这些方法应该能够对心血管系统的结构、功能和分子基础有新的认识。
