Identification of chronic myocardial infarction with extracellular or intravascular contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging.

AIM

To determine whether extracellular or intravascular contrast agents could detect chronic scarred myocardium in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

METHODS

Eighteen pigs underwent a 4 week ligation of 1 or 2 diagonal coronary arteries to induce chronic myocardial infarction. The hearts were then removed and perfused in a Langendorff apparatus. Eighteen hearts were divided into 2 groups. The hearts in groups I (n=9) and II (n=9) received the bolus injection of Gadolinium diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA, 0.05 mmol/kg) and gadolinium- based macromolecular agent (P792, 15 micromol/kg), respectively. First pass T2* MRI was acquired using a FLASH sequence. Delayed enhancement T1 MRI was acquired with an inversion recovery prepared TurboFLASH sequence.

RESULTS

Wash-in of both agents resulted in a sharp and dramatic T2* signal loss of scarred myocardium similar to that of normal myocardium. The magnitude and velocity of T2* signal recovery caused by wash-out of extracellular agents in normal myocardium was significantly less than that in scarred myocardium. Conversely, the T2* signal of scarred and normal myocardium recovered to plateau rapidly and simultaneously due to wash-out of intravascular agents. At the following equilibrium, extracellular agent-enhanced T1 signal intensity was significantly greater in scarred myocardium than in normal myocardium, whereas there was no significantly statistical difference in intravascular agent-enhanced T1 signal intensity between scarred and normal myocardium.

CONCLUSION

After administration of extracellular agents, wash-out T2* first-pass and delayed enhanced T1 MRI could identify scarred myocardium as a hyperenhanced region. Conversely, scarred myocardium was indistinguishable from normal myocardium during first-pass and the steady state of intravascular agents.