Determination of regional myocardial perfusion by x-ray fluorescence

Validation studies were performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of an x-ray induced fluorescence system in quantitating regional myocardial perfusion in vivo. In a series of 13 open-chested canines, x-ray induced fluorescence was used to simultaneously monitor iodine concentration transients which arose in the left ventricular lumen and in the myocardium after the intravenous injection of an iodinated flow tracer. Deconvolution of the recorded transients produced a transfer function from which the mean transit time for the tracer to travel between the left ventricular lumen and the myocardium was calculated. Measurements of regional myocardial perfusion (Q) made by radioactive microspheres were compared with the reciprocals of the mean transit times (MTT-1) and gave a linear correlation (n = 38): MTT-1 = 0.033 + 0.069 Q, r = 0.71. Comparison of the percent change in perfusion (dQ) relative to a control study for each dog with the percent change in the respective reciprocals of the mean transit times (dMTT-1) produced a linear correlation coefficient of r = 0.88 for the regression line dMTT-1 = 0.46 dQ - 10.7. The x-ray induced fluorescence system may provide a minimally invasive means for monitoring iodine concentration transients and determining relative, if not absolute, measures of regional myocardial perfusion.