Quantitative cardiac perfusion: a noninvasive spin-labeling method that exploits coronary vessel geometry.
OBJECTIVE
To quantitate myocardial arterial perfusion with a noninvasive magnetic resonance (MR) imaging technique that exploits the geometry of coronary vessel anatomy.


METHODS
MR imaging was performed with a spin-labeling method in six arrested rabbit hearts at 4.7 T. Selective inversion of magnetization in the short-axis imaging section along with all myocardium apical to that section produces signal enhancement from arterial perfusion. A linescan protocol was used for validation of flow enhancement. Flow was quantitated from two images and validated with spin-echo (SE) imaging. Regional perfusion defects were created by means of coronary artery ligation and delineated with gadolinium-enhanced imaging.


RESULTS
Linescan estimates of T1 obtained at physiologic flows agreed with model predictions. Flow-induced signal enhancement measured on SE images also agreed with expected values. Finally, perfusion abnormalities created by means of coronary artery ligation were detected.


CONCLUSIONS
This spin-labeling method provides quantitative estimates of myocardial arterial perfusion in this model and may hold promise for clinical applications.
Reeder
S B
SB
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
Atalay
M K
MK
McVeigh
E R
ER
Zerhouni
E A
EA
Forder
J R
JR
D000818:Animals; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D013113:Spin Labels
D013113:Spin Labels