title: Closed-chest animal model of chronic coronary artery stenosis. Assessment with magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: To evaluate the consequences of chronic non-occlusive coronary artery (CA) stenosis on myocardial function, perfusion and viability, we developed a closed-chest, closed-pericardium pig model, using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as quantitative imaging tool. Pigs underwent a percutaneous copper-coated stent implantation in the left circumflex CA (n = 19) or sham operation (n = 5). To evaluate the occurrence of myocardial infarction, cardiac troponin I (cTnI) levels were repetitively measured. At week 6, CA stenosis severity was quantified with angiography and cine, first-pass and contrast-enhanced MRI were performed to evaluate cardiac function, perfusion and viability. In the stenting group, cTnI values significantly increased at day 3 and day 5 (P = 0.01), and normalized at day 12. At angiography, 13/19 stented pigs had a stenosis >75%. Mean degree of CA stenosis was 91 +/- 4%, range 83-98%. At contrast-enhanced MRI, mean infarct size was 7 +/- 6%, range 0.7-18.4%. Five of the 6 pigs with stenosis <75% had no infarction. Stented pigs showed significantly higher Left-ventricular volumes and normalized mass (P < 0.05), and lower ejection fraction (P = 0.03) than the sham pigs. Both wall thickening and myocardial perfusion were significantly lower in animals with at least one segment >50% infarct (23 +/- 8%; 0.05 +/- 0.01 a.u./s) and animals with only <50% infarct segments (29% +/- 12%; 0.07 +/- 0.02 a.u./s), than sham pigs (52 +/- 6%; 0.10 +/- 0.03 a.u./s) (P < 0.001; P < 0.05). This minimally-invasive animal model of chronic, non-occlusive CA stenosis, presenting a mixture of perfusion and functional impairment and a variable degree of myocardial necrosis, can be used as substitute to study chronic myocardial hypoperfusion.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Imaging and Dynamics, Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Catholic University Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bogaert
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: D'hooge
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sipido
authors.forename: Frederik
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Maes
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dymarkowski
authors.forename: Frank E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Rademakers
authors.forename: Piet
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Claus
mesh_terms: D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000295:instrumentation; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002908:Chronic Disease; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D003287:Contrast Media; D003300:Copper; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D055414:Myocardial Perfusion Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015607:Stents; D034421:Sus scrofa; D013997:Time Factors; D014022:Tissue Survival; D019210:Troponin I / Q000097:blood; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D003287:Contrast Media; D019210:Troponin I; D003300:Copper; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA