Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reveals high cardiac ejection fractions in red-footed tortoises (Chelonoidis carbonarius)
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- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reveals high cardiac ejection fractions in red-footed tortoises (Chelonoidis carbonarius)
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The ejection fraction of the trabeculated cardiac ventricle of reptiles has not previously been measured. Here, we used the gold standard clinical methodology – electrocardiogram-gated flow magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) – to validate stroke volume measurements and end diastolic ventricular blood volume. This produced an estimate of ejection fraction in our study species, the red footed tortoise Chelonoidis carbonarius (n=5), under isoflurane anaesthesia of 88±11%. After reduction of the prevailing right-to-left intraventricular shunt through the action of atropine, the ejection fraction was 96±6%. This methodology opens new avenues for studying the complex hearts of ectotherms, and validating hypotheses on the function of a more highly trabeculated heart than that of endotherms, which have lower ejection fractions.
Original language | English |
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Article number | jeb206714 |
Journal | Journal of Experimental Biology |
Volume | 222 |
Issue number | 18 |
ISSN | 0022-0949 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2019 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd
- Ejection fraction, MRI, Reptile, Stroke volume, Trabeculation
Research areas
ID: 282937161