Assessment of Myocardial Viability Using Multidetector Computed Tomography

20 patients admitted to ICCU with ST elevation MI, and treated with primary angioplasty on admission, will undergo between day 2 and 7 post-MI the following exams: a) multidetector CT: regular scan plus late scan at 10 minutes, to evaluate coronary arteries, regional function and myocardial enhancement, b) echocardiography with echo-contrast to evaluate function and size of abnormally contracting region and remodeling, c) nuclear studies: rest early and late Thallium SPECT, to evaluate perfusion and viability. At 3 months a second echo will be performed to assess recovery of abnormal segments. The perfusion defects on MSCT will be compared with the other modalities and at 3 months will be used to evaluate recovery of myocardial function i.e. viability. Parameters that will be evaluated include opacity of hypoenhanced segments, ratio of normal to abnormal segments, change in opacity between early and late scans, size and transmurality of hypoenhanced segments, and their relation to regional contraction.

Inclusion criteria

• acute ST elevation myocardial infarction
• after primary angioplasty

Exclusion criteria

• iodine allergy
• renal failure
• old MI
• arrhythmia
• inability to perform 20 second breath-hold