The seismocardiogram as magnetic-field-compatible alternative to the electrocardiogram for cardiac stress monitoring

Seismocardiography (SCG) is a methodology derived from the field of seismology to measure non-invasively compression waves generated by myocardial motion. The use of SCG is proposed here as method to monitor cardiac function during stress testing and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). It is shown that recording of the seismocardiogram in subjects undergoing an MRI study is not compromised by flow-induced electrical voltages that can severely distort the electrocardiogram. Electromagnetic compatibility of the seismocardiograph device with the MRI scanner hardware was tested. Experiments in an animal model proved that changes in the SCG waveform during different levels of LAD stenosis correlate with the changes seen in LV function with cine MRI. The changes in the SCG waveform characteristic for the onset of ischemia were observed almost immediately after the creation of a flow-limiting stenosis. This novel application of SCG to monitor changes in peak acceleration from cardiac blood flow and wall motion may represent a solution to the long-standing and important problem of monitoring patients for signs of myocardial ischemia during MRI.