Evaluate the early changes of myocardial fibers in rhesus monkey during sub-acute stage of myocardial infarction using diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

Purpose: The deterioration of cardiac mechanical function starts from the micro-alterations in the myocardial fibers after myocardial infarction (MI) due to the heart beats derived from the systole and diastole of the myocardial fibers. So, we want to evaluate quantitatively the early changes of myocardial fibers in rhesus monkey during sub-acute MI stage.

Materials and methods: Three fixed hearts with infarction after left anterior descending coronary artery ligation for 7days and eight age-matched intact controls were scanned by ex-vivo diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI) to measure apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), fractional anisotropy (FA) and helix angle (HA).

Results: In comparison with healthy controls, FA and transmural range of HA in MI regions showed a significant reduction whereas ADC showed a significant increment (p<0.01). The double-helix myocardial fibers shifted further to left-handed helix around the infarcted and adjacent myocardium but shifted further to right-handed helix in remote myocardium.

Conclusion: HA is sensitive to evaluate quantitatively the early changes of myocardial fibers in sub-acute MI rhesus monkeys. The myocardial fibers in normal monkeys are similar to those in normal humans, suggesting that early changes of myocardial fibers in sub-acute MI monkeys can contribute to more accurately understand those in patients suffering sub-acute MI.

Keywords: Helix angle; Myocardial fiber; Myocardial infarction; Rhesus monkey.