Computerized tomography scanning successfully detected localized areas of decreased density corresponding to myocardial edema in canine hearts following coronary artery occlusion.
Does computerized tomography detect edema associated with myocardial ischemia in isolated canine hearts?
CT scanning is capable of detecting and potentially quantifying myocardial edema associated with ischemia noninvasively.
This study was undertaken to determine if computerized tomography (CT scanning) with an EMI cranial scanner could detect edema associated with myocardial ischemia in canine hearts. A localized area of decreased density in the posterior papillary muscle and surrounding myocardium was detected on serial 8 mm CT scan slices of each heart after 60 min of circumflex artery occlusion and 45 min of reflow of blood. The wet/dry weight ratios and previous electron microscope studies of the ischemic posterior papillary muscles revealed edema accumulation. After 1 hour of arterial occlusion and 12 hours of reflow (which produces extensive necrosis and a decrease in the wet/dry ratio) lesions were still discernible but were less consistently as severe. Permanent ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery and major collateral arteries for 6 hours also resulted in a lesion of decreased density in the distribution of the occluded arteries. Thus, CT scanning can detect, and is a potential means for sequential noninvasive quantitation of myocardial edema associated with ischemia.
Powell et al. (1977) studied Myocardial ischemia and edema. Computerized tomography (CT scanning) was evaluated on Detection of edema associated with myocardial ischemia. Computerized tomography scanning successfully detected localized areas of decreased density corresponding to myocardial edema in canine hearts following coronary artery occlusion.