Developing better scans to guide cardiac catheterisation

Radiation-free magnetic resonance-guided cardiac catheterisation (MRgCAT)

Cardiac catheterisation is used to aid diagnosis and treatment in people with congenital heart disease (CHD). It involves inserting a catheter and a guidewire into the circulatory system through the groin or arm and is guided by an X-ray machine linked to a screen. However, because it involves X-rays, it exposes patients to radiation, which could increase their risk of developing cancer. X-rays are also better at detecting hard structures such as bones rather than soft tissues like the heart, and this can lead to complications during the catheterisation process. An alternative radiation-free method for guiding catheterisation is urgently needed. Dr Sebastien Roujol and his team plan to develop a method that uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to perform this procedure. MRI does not require patients to be exposed to X-Rays or radiation. However, current MRI methods need to be fine-tuned before they can be used for this purpose. Specifically, the new method will allow the catheter tip to be automatically tracked in 3D and in real-time. It will also improve the detection of the guidewire on the scan, and allow simultaneous 3D visualisation of the circulatory system, catheter and guidewire, which is not currently possible. Once developed, the new technique will be evaluated in a pilot clinical study in 20 people with congenital heart disease. If successful, this technique could improve the diagnosis and management of people undergoing cardiac catheterisation.