Typically used for diagnosis, MRI is increasingly used during cardiac interventional procedures as it offers more visual insight. This global first sets a major step toward the use of iMRI as alternative treatment option for these arrhythmias. Amsterdam UMC has a long history with the development of MRI-guided cardiac interventions, with numerous firsts and this is yet another an important milestone. The patient is doing well, the procedure went according to plan and the arrhythmia has been eliminated.

We are therefore extremely proud that with our years of preparation, we have now reached the point where we are the first in the world to be able to treat complex forms of cardiac arrhythmias in an MRI scanner, says Cor Allaart, Professor of Electrophysiology and cardiologist at Amsterdam UMC. In ventricular arrhythmia, the ventricles of the heart beat too quickly and/or irregularly. This leads to many symptoms in patients. It is a potentially life-threatening disorder that can lead to ventricular fibrillation resulting in immediate cardiac arrest.

During ablation, MRI-images provide a better view of the anatomy of the heart and the instruments used for treatment, but also of the changes made to the treated cardiac tissue. Unlike X-ray images, the entire area surrounding the heart can be seen, including the blood vessels and valves. And the MRI offers the opportunity during the procedure to visualize the effects of the treatment on the myocardial tissue, says Marco Götte, imaging cardiologist at Amsterdam UMC, initiator and project leader of the cardiac intervention MRI research program.

Source: https://www.amsterdamumc.org/en/spotlight/global-first-mri-used-in-treatment-of-complex-cardiac-arrhythmia.htm