Research
Design and testing of an MRI-compatible cycle ergometer for non-invasive cardiac assessments during exercise
1 Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
2 Department of Engineering Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
3 Department of Medicine, University of Otago, Otago, New Zealand
4 Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
5 Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, 2-6 Park Ave, Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand
BioMedical Engineering OnLine 2012, 11:13 doi:10.1186/1475-925X-11-13
Published: 18 March 2012Abstract
Background
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an important tool for cardiac research, and it is frequently used for resting cardiac assessments. However, research into non-pharmacological stress cardiac evaluation is limited.
Methods
We aimed to design a portable and relatively inexpensive MRI cycle ergometer capable of continuously measuring pedalling workload while patients exercise to maintain target heart rates.
Results
We constructed and tested an MRI-compatible cycle ergometer for a 1.5 T MRI scanner. Resting and sub-maximal exercise images (at 110 beats per minute) were successfully obtained in 8 healthy adults.
Conclusions
The MRI-compatible cycle ergometer constructed by our research group enabled cardiac assessments at fixed heart rates, while continuously recording power output by directly measuring pedal force and crank rotation.
