MR Ergometer Pedal

The MR ergometer Pedal is specifically designed for exercising, inducing stress during MRI examinations. In many diseases, symptoms will only occur during stress, therefore a dynamic evaluation is required. Using an MR ergometer is the most natural form of exercise and triggering stress response during MR examinations.

Compatible with MR scanners of renowned brands

The Lode MR ergometer can be used in combination with MR scanners with various bores and of various brands like GE, Philips, Siemens, United Imaging.

MR Conditional

Lode MR ergometers are MR conditional. This means that under certain conditions, the ergometer can be used safely with MR ergometers without artifacts being visible on the image.

A stress MRI is a tool for both Clinical and the Research purposes. During an at rest MRI scan medical professionals see images, these, however do  not reflect on the complete situation of a patient or test person. In order to evaluate some conditions, a increased heart rate has to be applied to these images in the case of MRI, this is called a Dynamic/Exercise MRI. The goal of the MR Ergometer is for the patients to get a higher heart rate by exercising while being in the MRI.

Achieving target heart rate (up to 85% HRmax)

Clinical

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is widely accepted for cardiac imaging. The main benefit of MRI over other techniques is that it gives the most accurate information on various features of the heart. The three main clinical applications are cardiology (heart pathology), angiology and sports medicine (training, prevention and evolution).

Research

For scientific research, the use of MRI for the heart (or CMR) is increasingly popular. The Lode MR ergometer is also used in various research fields, like

• Heart and cardiovascular system
• Cardiopulmonary system
• Neurology
• Musculoskeletal
• Metabolism

Research and publications using the Lode MR Ergometer

The Lode MR Ergometer is widely used in advanced clinical and research environments for MR-compatible exercise testing. Below are a selection of recent publications that highlight its application in cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR). These studies demonstrate the versatility and diagnostic value of combining ergometry with MR imaging.

The effect of posture on maximal oxygen uptake in active healthy individuals

This study explores how different body positions influence outcomes during CPET. The Lode MR Ergometer was integral to this research, enabling precise, MR-compatible exercise protocols.

[Download article]

Spectroscopy – Exercise MR of skeletal muscles, the heart, and the brain

A publication in the field of MR spectroscopy, demonstrating how ergometry adds diagnostic value to musculoskeletal, cardiac, and brain spectroscopy. It opens new perspectives for researchers applying MR-compatible exercise testing in spectroscopy studies.

[Download article]

Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR) Publications

Two recent studies showcase the use of the Lode MR Ergometer in exercise CMR applications:

1. Establishing Cardiac MRI Reference Ranges Stratified by Sex and Age for Cardiovascular Function during Exercise
   This study establishes age- and sex-specific reference values for left ventricular response to exercise using cardiac MRI in healthy adults.
   [Download article]
2. Free-breathing Single-Beat Exercise Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance with Generative Artificial Intelligence for Evaluation of Volumetric and Functional Cardiac Indices
   Demonstrates that single-beat Ex-CMR with AI enhancement enables highly reproducible biventricular assessment during exercise MRI.
   [Download article]

Tailored Solutions for Varied Clinical and Research Needs

Our extensive array of MR Ergometer devices are designed to cater to a wide spectrum of clinical and research applications, ensuring customized solutions for specific requirements.

MR Ergometer Pedal: With its remarkable adjustable workload capacity of up to 300 watts, this ergometer serves as a robust choice for cardiology applications. It facilitates comprehensive stress testing within the magnetic resonance environment, offering precision and reliability.

MR Ergometer Push/Pull: In scenarios where the size of the bore does not allow a pedalling, the MR Ergometer Push/Pull steps in as a valuable alternative. It provides an adjustable workload of up to 100 watts, making it an invaluable tool for conducting cardiac assessments in MRI scanners with a smaller bore size, offering precision and reliability.

MR Ergometer Dorsal Ankle Flexion: For researchers focusing on spectroscopy, the MR Ergometer Dorsal Ankle Flexion offers specialized functionality to obtain this data. This ergometer is tailored to meet the unique demands of calf muscle studies, ensuring accuracy and precision in workload.

MR Ergometer Up/Down: Developed to seamlessly integrate with MR scanners, the MR Ergometer Up/Down allows controlled exercise with an adjustable workload of up to 100 watts. Its compatibility with MR imaging systems ensures accurate data collection and analysis.

These distinct MR Ergometer options are designed to address the diverse needs of both the medical and research communities. They guarantee the production of precise and reliable results, ultimately contributing to the advancement of MR imaging and analysis in clinical and research settings.

Medical imaging encompasses different imaging techniques that are used to image the interior human body for diagnostic and treatment purposes, as not all diseases are always visible from the outside. Medical imaging has advanced in remarkable ways since the discovery of X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound, and revolutionized the medical field.

For decades, perhaps even centuries, doctors and researchers have been interested in how the human body works during health, illness, rest and during or after exercise. This has been accomplished in various ways, and consequently, it is only logical that doctors and researchers eventually became interested in scanning the human body during and after exercise.

Most images reflect just a snapshot and do not reveal the entire physiological range of an organ.  Certain symptoms of cardiovascular disease only occur with stress, and measures of cardiovascular fitness require testing of limits of performance. Therefore, a dynamic evaluation is required to get more accurate results.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a technique that was discovered more than half a century ago and since the early 1980s MRI scanners are installed in hospitals worldwide. There has been an increasing demand to combine this imaging method with stress responses. Lode has introduced a suitable solution for this, eliminating the need for Dobutamine to induce stress. There are certain advantages to exercising and imaging simultaneously. These benefits do not only apply to cardiology and muscular research, but other applications could benefit as well.

For over two decades, Lode has pioneered the development of an MR-compatible ergometer, successfully implementing this technology in numerous hospitals around the globe.