Clinical research: magnetic resonance and computed tomographic imaging
Gadolinium delayed enhancement cardiovascular magnetic resonance correlates with clinical measures of myocardial infarction

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2004.02.046Get rights and content
Under an Elsevier user license
open archive

Abstract

Objectives

The current study tested the hypothesis that gadolinium delayed enhancement assessment of infarct size correlates with clinical indices of myocardial infarction (MI) in humans. Acute infarct mass by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) was compared with peak troponin I, acute and chronic left ventricular (LV) systolic function, and chronic infarct mass in patients imaged after recent acute MI.

Background

Cardiac magnetic resonance accurately determines myocardial viability in patients with chronic ischemic heart disease but is not well validated for recent MI.

Methods

Patients with first acute MI (n = 33) or chronic MI (n = 10) underwent cine CMR followed by gadolinium delayed enhancement imaging. A follow-up CMR scan was performed on 20 of the 33 acute MI patients and all of the chronic MI patients.

Results

In patients with acute percutaneous coronary intervention, acute MI mass correlated with peak troponin I (r = 0.83, p < 0.001, n = 23). In the 20 acute infarct patients with follow-up CMR scans, the acute infarct size correlated well with the follow-up LV ejection fraction (r = 0.86, p < 0.001). The transmural extent of delayed enhancement imaged acutely correlated inversely with wall thickening measured acutely (p < 0.001) and at follow-up (p < 0.001). Although chronic infarct size was reproducible (11 ± 4% vs. 12 ± 7%, p = NS), acute infarct size decreased from 16 ± 12% to 11 ± 9% (p < 0.003).

Conclusion

In humans imaged shortly after acute MI, gadolinium delayed enhancement acute CMR infarct size correlates with acute and chronic indices of infarct size but will appear to diminish in size on follow-up.

Abbreviations

CMR
cardiac magnetic resonance
Gd-DTPA
gadolinium diethyltriaminepentaacetic acid
LV
left ventricle/ventricular
MI
myocardial infarction

Cited by (0)

Funded by the intramural program of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.