Interventional molecular MRI of early myocardial injury in a pig model of ischemia and reperfusion

Motivation: Cardiac MRI has become the gold standard for non-invasive characterization of myocardial tissue. However, current MRI techniques only indirectly represent cardiac inflammation. Goal(s): To assess if interventional molecular MRI allows for visualization of the cellular processes during the inflammatory response after myocardial infarction. Approach: Iron-labeled P-selectin contrast agent was injected in pigs after 40 minutes of myocardial ischemia. To increase sensitivity, the contrast agent was injected into the coronary artery via an MR-guided intervention. Results: Infarcted myocardial segments could be visualized using the iron-labeled contrast agent by increased R2* values both in vivo and ex vivo. Impact: The intracoronary injection of molecular contrast agents using interventional MRI can add valuable information for preclinical studies of the early cellular processes after myocardial ischemia.