A new system for the metabolic investigation of the isolated, perfused rat heart

NMR spectroscopy is an invaluable technique in metabolic investigations of isolated, perfused hearts. Most studies employ global perfusion methods together with an NMR coil that surrounds the heart and thus detects signals from its entirety. The present report describes the construction and testing of a novel, two surface-coil probe, in combination with a dual-perfused heart preparation, that enables spectra to be collected independently from the two coronary beds of the rat heart.(31)P NMR spectra of perfused rat hearts in which the septum and right ventricle have been made ischaemic, while the free left ventricular wall is fully perfused, demonstrate the powerful potential of this new system.