Altered energy metabolism after myocardial infarction assessed by 31P-MR-spectroscopy in humans.

Journal article

The value of 31P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) as a possible tool to distinguish viable from non-viable tissue after myocardial infarction was analysed in humans. Fifteen patients 3 weeks after anterior myocardial infarction were studied with breath-hold cine MRI and 3D-CSI MRS (1.5 T system). 31P-spectra were obtained from infarcted as well as non-infarcted myocardium (voxel size 25 cm3 each). Gold standard for viability was recovery of regional function, as determined by a control MRI 6 months after revascularization. Ten age-matched healthy volunteers served as control group. No significant difference was found between the phosphocreatine to adenosinetriphosphate (PCr/ ATP) ratio of volunteers (SD 1.72+/-0.31) and non-infarcted septal myocardium of patients. Cine MRI demonstrated recovery of regional function in 10 patients, i. e. 10 patients showed viable and 5 non-viable myocardium. In viable myocardium, the PCr/ATP ratio was 1.47+/-0.38 (non-significant vs volunteers; p>0.05). In the 5 patients with akinetic myocardium, PCr peaks could not be detected. Therefore, calculation of PCr/ATP ratios was not possible. However, a significant reduction of the ATP signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was observed (2.92+/-0.73 vs 6.68+/-0.80; patients vs volunteers; p<0.05). The SNR of ATP of akinetic regions may predict recovery of function after revascularization in patients with myocardial infarction.

Authors: Beer, M; Sandstede, J; Landschütz, W; Viehrig, M; Harre, K

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: European radiology
• Volume: 10
• Issue: 8
• Pages: 1323-1328
• Publication date: 2000-01-01
• DOI: 10.1007/s003300000316
• EISSN: 1432-1084
• ISSN: 0938-7994
• Language: English
• Keywords: Reference Values; Adult; Phosphocreatine; Tissue Survival; Aged; Myocardial Contraction; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine; Myocardial Infarction; Energy Metabolism; Female; Imaging, Three-Dimensional; Adenosine Triphosphate; Male; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Middle Aged; Myocardium