Quantitative Analysis of Acute Myocardial Infarct in Rat Hearts with Ischemia-Reperfusion Using a High-Resolution Stationary SPECT System
Zhonglin Liu, MD,
George A. Kastis, MS,
Gail D. Stevenson, DVM,
Harrison H. Barrett, PhD,
Lars R. Furenlid, PhD,
Matthew A. Kupinski, PhD,
Dennis D. Patton, MD and
Donald W. Wilson, PhD
Department of Radiology, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson, Arizona
FIGURE 1. (A) High-resolution stationary SPECT system, FASTSPECT. Four modular cameras can be seen through window, where 2 sheets of lead were removed. (B) Photomultiplier tube (Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Hamamatsu, Japan) and modular scintillation camera of FASTSPECT system.
FIGURE 2. Representative 99mTc-sestamibi tomograms from 1 control rat heart 2 h after injection, including short-axis (A), vertical long-axis (B), and horizontal long-axis (C) views.
FIGURE 3. (A) FASTSPECT imaging shows uniform myocardial distribution of 99mTc-sestamibi in control rat heart. (B) Left ventricular myocardium in control rat heart was stained red by TTC and exhibits 100% viability. Differences in cavity size and left ventricular wall thickness are caused by postmortem shrinking of tissue.
FIGURE 4. Representative 99mTc-sestamibi images from 1 IR rat heart 2 h after injection, including short-axis (A), vertical long-axis (B), and horizontal long-axis (C) views. Regional perfusion defects are localized in anterior wall, apex, and part of lateral wall of left ventricle.
FIGURE 5. Perfusion defects seen on FASTSPECT 99mTc-sestamibi images 2 h after injection in heart with IR (A) are consistent with myocardial ischemic area at risk, as determined by Evans blue dye (unstained by blue dye) (B), and with infarct myocardium, as determined by TTC staining (unstained by TTC) (C).
FIGURE 6. Scatterplot shows correlation between 99mTc-sestamibi radioactive defect size on FASTSPECT images 2 h after injection and anatomic infarct size (TTC staining). LV = left ventricle.