Evaluation of Wideband Cardiac, Real-Time Pulse Sequences in Children with a Cardiac Implantable Electronic Device

Motivation: Cardiac MRI is rarely performed in children with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED) due to safety concerns and image artifacts. Goal(s): To determine the clinical utility of wideband cardiac, real-time MRI methods in children with an implantable pulse generator (IPG). Approach: We performed free-breathing real-time cine, wideband late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and perfusion in 18 healthy children with IPG taped to below the left clavicle and abdomen to mimic endocardial and epicardial systems, respectively. Results: Compared to the standard, wideband sequences effectively suppressed image artifacts, and produced relatively accurate quantification of bi-ventricular functional metrics. Impact: Wideband cardiac, real-time pulse sequences are effective in reducing image artifacts induced by an IPG, thereby increasing the potential benefit of cardiac MRI in children with CIEDs.