Simultaneous assessment of left-ventricular infarction size, function and tissue viability in a murine model of myocardial infarction by cardiac manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MEMRI)

Owing to its signal‐enhancing characteristics in viable well‐perfused tissue, divalent manganese (Mn2+) has been used as a myocardial imaging contrast agent. Because Mn2+ can enter excitable cells through the voltage‐gated L‐type calcium channels, manganese‐enhanced MRI (MEMRI) has been used to determine the viability and the inotropic state of the heart. In this study, we examined the correlation between left ventricular infarction zone as assessed by cardiac MEMRI and function in mice with permanent coronary artery occlusion. At an Mn2+ infusion dose of 1.72±0.47 nmol/min/g body weight, the steady‐state signal intensity (SI) enhancement 20–26 min post‐Mn2+ infusion of the normal septum and left‐ventricular wall during diastole was 128.2±14.4 and 127.9±26.5%, respectively, whereas the infarction zone was 56.0±7.1%. During systole, the SI enhancement was 144.6±33.0, 116.0±18.7 and 48.3±20.0% for the normal septum, left‐ventricular wall and infarction zone, respectively. A good correlation was obtained between the MEMRI determined infarction volume and conventional histological TTC staining (r = 0.9582, p