Age-related vascular stiffness and left ventricular size after myocardial infarction.

Aortic stiffness increases with age and may contribute to adverse remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI). The authors examined whether vascular stiffness affects left ventricular (LV) size after MI using contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Despite similar infarct sizes, patients aged 60 years or older (n=30) had a lower ejection fraction (42+/-15 vs 53+/-11%, P<.01) and greater end-systolic volume index (75+/-47 vs 44+/-18 mL/m(2), P<.01) than younger patients (n=19). As infarct size increased, LV end-systolic volumes (P<.0001) and ejection fraction (P<.0001) in the older participants were progressively greater. Participants with greater aortic stiffness had greater end-systolic volume indices (P<.0001) and lower ejection fraction (P<.0001) with increasing infarct size. Using multivariate analysis, MI size (P<.001) and aortic distensibility (P=.02) were significant predictors of end-systolic volume index. Older patients have increased LV size after MI compared with younger patients, possibly related to age-related decreases in aortic distensibility affecting LV remodeling.

Long-term safety of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging performed in the first few days after bare-metal stent implantation.

PURPOSE: To investigate the long-term safety of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) performed one to seven days after coronary artery stent (bare metal) implantation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed 119 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) who underwent emergency coronary stent implantation with a bare-metal stent. CMR using a 1.5T scanner was performed on 51 patients (42.9%) at a mean of 2.7+/-3.1 days after stent implantation (CMR+ group), and the remaining 68 patients (57.1%) served as controls (CMR- group). The patients were followed up to six months for major adverse cardiac events. RESULTS: The average stent size was 3.3+/-0.5x18.4+/-6.7 mm, and 86% of the stents were made of 316L stainless steel. There were no significant differences between the CMR+ and CMR- groups in terms of infarct features, angiographic findings, or stent characteristics. Over a mean follow-up of 4.4+/-2.1 months, 12 patients (10.1%) had 16 events (13.4%). Two patients had adverse events after early MRI scan (4.3%), a rate that is lower than the event rate in the patients who did not undergo MRI (16%, P=0.04), and one of the two events was clearly not MRI related. CONCLUSION: CMR on a 1.5T scanner can be safely performed within one to seven days after coronary bare-metal stent implantation and is not associated with an increased risk of adverse clinical cardiac outcomes. In the light of accumulating data, the guidelines by stent manufacturers should be revised.

Prognosis of negative adenosine stress magnetic resonance in patients presenting to an emergency department with chest pain.

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to determine the diagnostic value of adenosine cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in troponin-negative patients with chest pain. BACKGROUND: We hypothesized that adenosine CMR could determine which troponin-negative patients with chest pain in an emergency department have coronary artery disease (CAD) or future adverse cardiac events. METHODS: Adenosine stress CMR was performed on 135 patients who presented to the emergency department with chest pain and had acute myocardial infarction (MI) excluded by troponin-I. The main study outcome was detecting any evidence of significant CAD. Patients were contacted at one year to determine the incidence of significant CAD defined as coronary artery stenosis >50% on angiography, abnormal correlative stress test, new MI, or death. RESULTS: Adenosine perfusion abnormalities had 100% sensitivity and 93% specificity as the single most accurate component of the CMR examination. Both cardiac risk factors and CMR were significant in Kaplan-Meier analysis (log-rank test, p = 0.0006 and p < 0.0001, respectively). However, an abnormal CMR added significant prognostic value in predicting future diagnosis of CAD, MI, or death over clinical risk factors. In receiver operator curve analysis, adenosine CMR was a more accurate predictor than cardiac risk factors (p < 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with chest pain who had MI excluded by troponin-I and non-diagnostic electrocardiograms, an adenosine CMR examination predicted with high sensitivity and specificity which patients had significant CAD during one-year follow-up. Furthermore, no patients with a normal adenosine CMR study had a subsequent diagnosis of CAD or an adverse outcome.

Quantitative myocardial perfusion analysis with a dual-bolus contrast-enhanced first-pass MRI technique in humans.

PURPOSE: To compare fully quantitative and semiquantitative analysis of rest and stress myocardial blood flow (MBF) and myocardial perfusion reserve (MPR) using a dual-bolus first-pass perfusion MRI method in humans. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rest and dipyridamole stress perfusion imaging was performed on 10 healthy humans by administering gadolinium contrast using a dual-bolus protocol. Ventricular and myocardial time-signal intensity curves were generated from a series of T1-weighted images and adjusted for surface-coil intensity variations. Corrected signal intensity curves were then fitted using fully quantitative model constrained deconvolution (MCD) to quantify MBF (mL/min/g) and MPR. The results were compared with semiquantitative contrast enhancement ratio (CER) and upslope index (SLP) measurements. RESULTS: MBF (mL/min/g) estimated with MCD averaged 1.02 +/- 0.22 at rest and 3.39 +/- 0.59 for stress with no overlap in measures. MPR was 3.43 +/- 0.71, 1.91 +/- 0.65, and 1.16 +/- 0.19 using MCD, SLP, and CER. Both semiquantitative parameters (SLP and CER) significantly underestimated MPR (P < 0.001) and failed to completely discriminate rest and stress perfusion. CONCLUSION: Rest and stress MBF (mL/min/g) and MPR estimated by dual-bolus perfusion MRI fit within published ranges. Semiquantitative methods (SLP and CER) significantly underestimated MPR.

Reproducibility and inter-observer variability of dobutamine stress CMR in patients with severe coronary disease: implications for clinical research.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze reproducibility and inter-observer variability of dobutamine stress cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (dobutamine CMR) and its implications on serial studies. METHODS: Nineteen consecutive patients underwent two dobutamine CMR each (median 12 days apart), as part of eligibility criteria for phase I/II stem cell therapy trial. These patients had Canadian Cardiovascular Society Class III/IV angina despite maximal therapy. The two studies were compared for reproducibility of stress response. To assess inter-observer variability, 29 randomly selected dobutamine CMR studies were analyzed by three experienced observers and Kappa values were computed to measure the agreement. RESULTS: Dobutamine CMR studies were completed without any major complications. The left ventricular function, dobutamine and atropine dose, hemodynamic response, symptomatic response and the results of wall motion and perfusion abnormalities were highly reproducible between the two studies (p = .91). Sample size calculations suggested that a clinical trial using dobutamine CMR to detect an endpoint of resolution of two ischemic segments would require a sample size of 20 subjects and to detect an improvement in perfusion of two segments would require a sample size of 8 subjects. Inter-observer variability between individual and consensus interpretation of dobutamine CMR was good to very good (kappa = 0.81 for wall motion and 0.70 for perfusion). CONCLUSION: Dobutamine CMR is a highly reproducible technique with very good inter-observer variability and could be used as a specific endpoint in a relatively small clinical trial.

Gadolinium delayed enhancement cardiovascular magnetic resonance correlates with clinical measures of myocardial infarction.

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.

Qualitative assessment of regional left ventricular function can predict MRI or radionuclide ejection fraction: an objective alternative to eyeball estimates.

PURPOSE: Assessment of left ventricular function is important in patients with heart disease. We hypothesized that regional wall motion assessed qualitatively by cine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can predict the left ventricular ejection fraction (EF). METHODS: The correlations between MRI EF and the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) score index and a modified ASE score index were established in 117 subjects. The model was tested in the next 86 patients. Interobserver variability was studied in 30 patients. Radionuclide EF was compared in 81 patients. Cine MRI studies were performed on a 1.5 T scanner. RESULTS: From the initial 117 patients, there was a linear correlation between the ASE score index and MRI (r = 0.85), but the relationship improved by including a category of hyperkinetic wall motion (r = 0.90). Using these correlations to predict MRI EF in the next 86 patients, there was a good agreement (r = 0.93 for the ASE score index and r = 0.97 for the modified ASE score index). Correlations between radionuclide EF and the EF predicted by the modified ASE score index or the MRI EF by planimetry were similar (r = 0.91 vs. r = 0.90, respectively). Four observers tested the model and achieved comparable results (r = 0.88 to 0.95). CONCLUSIONS: There is a close relationship between ejection fraction and the ASE score index or modified ASE score index. This correlation can provide an objective prediction of ejection fraction based solely on a qualitative reading of regional wall thickening.