Since it was founded in 1996, the working group for cardiac MRI has played an international pioneering role in the use of magnetic resonance imaging to differentiate myocardial damage, specifically in non-coronary heart disease. Several new approaches for the qualitative and quantitative characterization of inflammatory and non-inflammatory myocardial da age have already been developed, which in the meantime, have found their way into various international guidelines for standard MRI protocols. In addition, we deal with risk stratification based on the non-invasive differentiation of myocardial damage, especially in primary and secondary cardiomyopathies. This concerns patients with systolic heart failure (e.g., before ICD implantation), with leading diastolic heart failure (e.g., in left ventricular hypertrophy of various origins) as well as valvular heart disease.
In addition to our own clinical studies, which are conveniently linked to the Cardiology Department of a 1000-bed maximum care Hospital (HELIOS Clinic, Berlin-Buch), the group regularly supports multi-center studies and conducts projects in cooperation with industry partners (e.g., Siemens Healthcare) as well as neighboring research institutes (e.g., The Max Delbrück Center). Furthermore, the working group is part of the Experimental and Clinical Research Group (ECRC), a joint facility between Charité and the MDC Berlin.
In June 2011, the Outpatient Clinic Department Cardiology of the ECRC was opened. This ensures dedicated characterization and joint care of our patients.
National and international collaborations take place through lively exchanges within the framework of research stays and bi-/multi-centerprojects.
A significant step in expanding research activities into the experimental area is the group’s significant participation in th foundation of the Ultra-high-field-Facility (B.U.F.F) that was created in Berlin- Buch. This new research center, which is located in the immediate vicinity of the Max Delbrück Center, is equipped with a human 7T MRI system (Siemens). A 3T MRI scanner (Siemens) and a 9.4T small animal system (Bruker). One of the main research focuses of the human 7T MRI system is cardiovascular MRI. Thanks to close cooperation with the research group of the B.U.F.F (Head: Prof. Dr. Niendorf), we succeeded in making cardiac MRI feasible and accessible in a very short time. This makes us one of the five centers worldwide that have succeeded in imaging the beating heart in the ultra-high-field range.
One of the main intentions of our research is to validate significant research results and make them rapidly available to patients via clinical research. For this purpose, the integration between the research environment of the ECRC with the excellently equipped maximum care clinic (Clinic for Cardiology and Nephrology of the Helios Clinic Berlin Buch) is convenient and beneficial