Tamman Cardiovascular Research Institute, Leviev Heart Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.
Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging. 2013 Nov;14(11):1069-79. doi: 10.1093/ehjci/jet044. Epub 2013 May 3.
The aim of this study was to assess the use of a 3 T clinical cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) scanner to detect injury to the heart in experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM).
The use of 3 T CMR for the detection of cardiac injury was assessed in EAM (n = 55) and control (n = 10) male Lewis rats. Animals were evaluated with serial CMR imaging studies, using a 3 T scanner, and with 2D echocardiography before, and at 2 and 5 weeks after EAM induction. By CMR, regional wall motion abnormalities were noted in seven out of eight rats with myocarditis 5 weeks after induction. Subsequently, the rats developed significant left ventricular (LV) dilatation, wall thickening, and pericardial effusion. Average LV systolic and diastolic volumes increased from 131 ± 10 to 257 ± 20 µL (P = 0.0008), and from 309 ± 14 to 412 ± 24 µL (P < 0.0001), and ejection fraction markedly deteriorated (from 58 ± 2 to 37 ± 5%; P = 0.0003). Areas of fibrosis were located by late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) CMR at the subepicardium, mainly within the anterior, lateral, and inferior walls. The extent and location of LGE were highly correlated (r = 0.94; P < 0.0001) with areas of myocardial fibrosis by histopathology, with 85% sensitivity and 86% specificity.
A clinical 3 T CMR scanner enables accurate detection, quantification, and monitoring of experimental myocarditis in rats, and could be used for translational research to study the pathophysiology of the disease and evaluate novel therapies.
本研究旨在评估使用 3T 临床心脏磁共振（CMR）扫描仪检测实验性自身免疫性心肌炎（EAM）中心脏损伤。
使用 3T CMR 检测 EAM（n=55）和对照组（n=10）雄性 Lewis 大鼠的心脏损伤。动物在 EAM 诱导前、诱导后 2 周和 5 周，使用 3T 扫描仪进行连续 CMR 成像研究和 2 维超声心动图评估。通过 CMR，在 8 只心肌炎大鼠中有 7 只在 5 周后出现节段性壁运动异常。随后，大鼠出现明显的左心室（LV）扩张、壁增厚和心包积液。LV 收缩和舒张末期容积分别从 131±10 增加到 257±20 µL（P=0.0008）和 309±14 增加到 412±24 µL（P<0.0001），射血分数明显恶化（从 58±2 降低到 37±5%；P=0.0003）。通过延迟钆增强（LGE）CMR 在心脏外膜下定位纤维化区域，主要位于前壁、侧壁和下壁。LGE 的范围和位置与组织病理学上的心肌纤维化区域高度相关（r=0.94；P<0.0001），具有 85%的敏感性和 86%的特异性。
临床 3T CMR 扫描仪能够准确检测、定量和监测大鼠实验性心肌炎，并可用于转化研究，以研究疾病的病理生理学和评估新的治疗方法。
