title: Combined high-speed NMR imaging of perfusion and microscopic coronary conductance vessels in the isolated rat heart.
abstract: Noninvasive characterization of microcirculation at the level of both coronary conductance and resistance vessels is of major importance for the understanding of microvascular adaptive processes in the heart. The objective of this study was to determine simultaneously myocardial perfusion and microvessel diameters in the myocardium by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging within the same heart. A MR imaging method is presented which combines high-resolution perfusion measurement (140 x 140 microm2) by spin labeling with flow-weighted MR microscopy of coronary microvessels (phi > 140 microm). We determined changes in myocardial perfusion and vessel diameters of isolated beating rat hearts (n = 10) at rest and during administration of nitroglycerin (0.5 mg/min). Alterations in perfusion were validated by microsphere measurements. Under the influence of nitroglycerin an increase in perfusion (+2.51 +/- 0.4 ml x min(-1) x g(-1), mean +/- SEM) and vessel diameters (+14.22 +/- 1.92%) could be observed. Endocardial perfusion revealed a modest enhanced susceptibility to nitroglycerin in comparison to epicardial perfusion. Analysis of vessels according to their diameters showed no significant differences. MR imaging allows the noninvasive and simultaneous determination of conducting arteries and smaller resistance vessels in one and the same beating rat heart. Due to an excellent spatial resolution of these methods, transmural characterization of both parameters at rest and during vasodilation is feasible.
authors.affiliation: Physikalisches Institut, Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, 97074, Germany.
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Hiller
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Waller
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Voll
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haase
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ertl
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Bauer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001158:Arteries / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005996:Nitroglycerin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009929:Organ Size; D010477:Perfusion; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014655:Vascular Resistance; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D005996:Nitroglycerin