Magnetic Field Strength Independent Cardiac Gating at 1.5 T, 3.0 T and 7.0 T

Purpose: In clinical MRI cardiac motion is commonly dealt with using ECG based synchronization. ECG is prone to interference with electromagnetic fields and to magneto-hydrodynamic effects, in particular at (ultra)high magnetic field strengths (1). For all these reasons, a non- invasive, fully MR compatible cardiac monitoring and gating approach which presents suitability for all magnetic field strengths is conceptually appealing. For this purpose a cardiac monitoring and gating device that employs acoustic signals was developed. The applicability and robustness of the proposed triggering device is explored in c…