Korean J Radiol.  2016 Oct;17(5):725-733. 10.3348/kjr.2016.17.5.725.

Evaluation of the Differences of Myocardial Fibers between Acute and Chronic Myocardial Infarction: Application of Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging in a Rhesus Monkey Model

• Wang Y
• Cai W
• Wang L
• Xia R
• Chen W
• Zheng J
• Gao F

• KMID: 2458064
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/kjr.2016.17.5.725

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To understand microstructural changes after myocardial infarction (MI), we evaluated myocardial fibers of rhesus monkeys during acute or chronic MI, and identified the differences of myocardial fibers between acute and chronic MI.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Six fixed hearts of rhesus monkeys with left anterior descending coronary artery ligation for 1 hour or 84 days were scanned by diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), fractional anisotropy (FA) and helix angle (HA).
RESULTS
Comparing with acute MI monkeys (FA: 0.59 ± 0.02; ADC: 5.0 ± 0.6 × 10(-4) mm2/s; HA: 94.5 ± 4.4°), chronic MI monkeys showed remarkably decreased FA value (0.26 ± 0.03), increased ADC value (7.8 ± 0.8 × 10(-4) mm2/s), decreased HA transmural range (49.5 ± 4.6°) and serious defects on endocardium in infarcted regions. The HA in infarcted regions shifted to more components of negative left-handed helix in chronic MI monkeys (-38.3 ± 5.0°-11.2 ± 4.3°) than in acute MI monkeys (-41.4 ± 5.1°-53.1 ± 3.7°), but the HA in remote regions shifted to more components of positive right-handed helix in chronic MI monkeys (-43.8 ± 2.7°-66.5 ± 4.9°) than in acute MI monkeys (-59.5 ± 3.4°-64.9 ± 4.3°).
CONCLUSION
Diffusion tensor MRI method helps to quantify differences of mechanical microstructure and water diffusion of myocardial fibers between acute and chronic MI monkey's models.

Keyword

Rhesus monkey; Myocardial fiber; Myocardial infarction; Helix angle; Diffusion tensor MR imaging; DTI

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Different slices of shot-axial DE-MRI. Hyperenhancement regions in anterior wall (red arrows) indicate infarcted regions. DE-MRI = delayed enhancement magnetic resonance imaging

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  Fig. 2 Diffusion maps of myocardial fibers. Regions pointed by red arrows are MI regions. ADC = apparent diffusion coefficients, FA = fractional anisotropy, MI = myocardial infarction

• 

  Fig. 3 HA and tensor maps. MI-1 hour monkeys show slight changes in HA values and primary orientations of tensors in infarcted regions (marked by black circles). MI-84 days monkeys show severely inhomogeneous HA values, very few positive right-handed HA values and irregular primary orientations of tensors in infarcted regions. Large area of defects can be seen in endocardium. HA = helix angle, MI = myocardial infarction

• 

  Fig. 4 Comparison between tensor maps and Masson's staining images. On MI-1 hour panel, orientations of myocardial fibers remain consistent. Tensor map also reveals similar arrangements and density of tensors in myocardial fibers. On MI-84 days panel, Masson's staining image shows large area of blue collagens, myocardial fibers in blue collagens are sparsely distributed, and orientation of myocardial fibers are inhomogeneous. Tensor map displays some tissue defects of tensors in endocardium and tensors are irregularly arranged. MI = myocardial infarction

• 

  Fig. 5 Remodeling process of HA transmural range from epicardium to endocardium on anterior and posterior walls during MI-1 hour and MI-84 days monkeys. HA transmural range in infarcted region (anterior) is decreased but shift from double-helix toward left-handed helix during chronic MI. However, HA transmural range in remote (posterior) region shows increased shift from double-helix toward right-handed helix during chronic MI. HA = helix angle, MI = myocardial infarction

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