Key result
A clinical 3 T CMR scanner accurately detected myocardial fibrosis in rats with experimental autoimmune myocarditis, showing high correlation with histopathology (r = 0.94; P < 0.0001).
Why the study?
Can a 3 T clinical CMR scanner accurately detect and quantify cardiac injury in a rat model of experimental autoimmune myocarditis?
Can a 3 T clinical CMR scanner accurately detect and quantify cardiac injury in a rat model of experimental autoimmune myocarditis?
Effect estimate: r = 0.94
p-value: p=<0.0001
A clinical 3 T CMR scanner can accurately detect and quantify myocardial injury and fibrosis in a rat model of autoimmune myocarditis, providing a useful tool for translational research.
Facilitates translational CMR research in rat myocarditis models; leaves open human validation before clinical use.
AIMS: The aim of this study was to assess the use of a 3 T clinical cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) scanner to detect injury to the heart in experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM). METHODS AND RESULTS: The use of 3 T CMR for the detection of cardiac injury was assessed in EAM (n = 55) and control (n = 10) male Lewis rats. Animals were evaluated with serial CMR imaging studies, using a 3 T scanner, and with 2D echocardiography before, and at 2 and 5 weeks after EAM induction. By CMR, regional wall motion abnormalities were noted in seven out of eight rats with myocarditis 5 weeks after induction. Subsequently, the rats developed significant left ventricular (LV) dilatation, wall thickening, and pericardial effusion. Average LV systolic and diastolic volumes increased from 131 ± 10 to 257 ± 20 µL (P = 0.0008), and from 309 ± 14 to 412 ± 24 µL (P < 0.0001), and ejection fraction markedly deteriorated (from 58 ± 2 to 37 ± 5%; P = 0.0003). Areas of fibrosis were located by late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) CMR at the subepicardium, mainly within the anterior, lateral, and inferior walls. The extent and location of LGE were highly correlated (r = 0.94; P < 0.0001) with areas of myocardial fibrosis by histopathology, with 85% sensitivity and 86% specificity. CONCLUSION: A clinical 3 T CMR scanner enables accurate detection, quantification, and monitoring of experimental myocarditis in rats, and could be used for translational research to study the pathophysiology of the disease and evaluate novel therapies.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Rinkevich-Shop et al. (2013) studied Experimental autoimmune myocarditis (n=65). 3 T clinical cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) scanner vs. Histopathology was evaluated on Correlation of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) extent and location with areas of myocardial fibrosis by histopathology (r = 0.94, p=<0.0001). A clinical 3 T CMR scanner accurately detected myocardial fibrosis in rats with experimental autoimmune myocarditis, showing high correlation with histopathology (r = 0.94; P < 0.0001).
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: