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Updated: Aug 2, 2026
Myocardial Infarction and Functional Outcome Assessment in Pigs
Published on: April 25, 2014
Myocardial viability: assessment with three-dimensional MR imaging in pigs and patients
Marc Dewey1, Michael Laule, Matthias Taupitz
1Department of Radiology, Charité, Medical School, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Schumannstrasse 20/21, 10117 Berlin, Germany. marc.dewey@charite.de
Purpose:
To prospectively evaluate the correlation between a three-dimensional (3D) delayed enhancement magnetic resonance (MR) imaging sequence and a two-dimensional (2D) delayed enhancement MR imaging sequence for noninvasive assessment of myocardial viability in pigs and patients.
Materials And Methods:
The pig and patient studies were approved by the responsible authorities, and patients gave written informed consent. MR imaging was performed by using a rapid 3D inversion-recovery balanced steady-state free precession sequence and a 2D segmented inversion-recovery fast low-angle shot sequence as the reference standard. Fourteen pigs with reperfused (n=7) or nonreperfused (n=7) myocardial infarction and 17 patients (13 men, four women; mean age, 64.9 years+/-8.6 [standard deviation]) suspected of having myocardial infarction were included. Linear regression analysis and Bland-Altman analysis were used to compare the infarction volumes.
Results:
In 10 of the 14 pigs the induction of myocardial infarction was successful. In these pigs, altogether 81 segments with myocardial infarction were demonstrated by both MR sequences, and agreement between the two sequences for classification of transmural extent of myocardial infarction was 99.7%. The infarction volume determined by using 3D MR imaging (4.64 cm3+/-2.48) in the pigs highly correlated with that of 2D MR imaging (4.65 cm3+/-2.39, r=0.989, P<.001) and that of staining by using triphenyltetrazolium chloride (4.67 cm3+/-2.44, r=0.996, P<.001). Thirteen of the 17 patients examined showed myocardial infarction in 34 myocardial segments with both sequences, and agreement between the two sequences for classification of transmural extent of myocardial infarction was 98.6%. In the patients, the infarction volume determined with both sequences highly correlated (9.71 cm3+/-7.47 for the 3D sequence vs 10.01 cm3+/-8.04 for the 2D sequence, r=0.982, P<.001). The breath-hold time necessary for the 3D MR imaging (21.0+/-2.3 seconds) was significantly shorter than that for 2D MR imaging (188.3+/-20.2 seconds, P<.001).
Conclusion:
Myocardial infarction volumes obtained with the 3D MR imaging sequence are highly correlated and in good agreement with volumes obtained with the 2D MR imaging standard approach and reduced the acquisition time by a factor of nine.
Insights
Three-dimensional (3D) delayed enhancement magnetic resonance (MR) imaging accurately assesses myocardial infarction volume, correlating highly with the standard two-dimensional (2D) sequence. This advanced 3D MR imaging significantly reduces acquisition time for evaluating myocardial viability.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Imaging
- Medical Physics
- Diagnostic Radiology
Background:
- Assessing myocardial viability is crucial for managing patients with myocardial infarction.
- Delayed enhancement magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is a key noninvasive technique for this purpose.
- Traditional two-dimensional (2D) MR imaging sequences require significant acquisition time.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively evaluate the correlation between three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) delayed enhancement MR imaging sequences.
- To assess the accuracy of 3D MR imaging for noninvasive evaluation of myocardial viability.
- To compare the diagnostic performance and efficiency of 3D versus 2D MR imaging in pigs and patients.
Main Methods:
- Prospective evaluation in pigs and patients with suspected myocardial infarction.
- Utilized a rapid 3D inversion-recovery balanced steady-state free precession sequence and a 2D segmented inversion-recovery fast low-angle shot sequence.
- Linear regression and Bland-Altman analyses were employed to compare infarction volumes.
Main Results:
- High correlation (r=0.989 in pigs, r=0.982 in patients) and agreement (99.7% in pigs, 98.6% in patients) between 3D and 2D MR imaging for myocardial infarction volume and transmural extent.
- 3D MR imaging acquisition time was significantly shorter (21 seconds) compared to 2D MR imaging (188 seconds).
- Results in pigs also showed high correlation with triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining.
Conclusions:
- 3D delayed enhancement MR imaging provides highly correlated and accurate measurements of myocardial infarction volumes compared to the standard 2D approach.
- The 3D sequence significantly reduces imaging acquisition time, improving efficiency in assessing myocardial viability.
- 3D MR imaging is a viable and more time-efficient alternative for noninvasive myocardial viability assessment.
