Continuous observation on heart-disease-model mice using biomagnetic measurement system

Magnetocardiography (MCG) is a non-invasive method that can contribute to elucidating heart disease mechanisms and the verification of pharmacological effects. The object of our study is to show the potential of MCG for such study in mice. By using the developed MCG system, which adopts a single channel superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer with the spatial resolution of 500 μm, we continuously measured MCGs for 2 heart-disease-model mice with a high incidence of cardiac infarction from 7-weeks-old to death. An abnormal MCG appeared 1 or 2 weeks before death. The abnormal MCG changes indicate that the damaged place in the ventricles was different for each individual. In addition, we have developed a method to obtain MCGs for newborn mice in particular because they are small and frail. The MCGs of newborn mice were similar to those of adult mice. This study proved the potential of MCG for detecting abnormal cardiac excitation at the early stage of cardiac infarction and monitoring the progress of heart disease in detail from infancy to old age in mice.