Choukri Mekkaoui1, Marcel P. Jackowski2, Donald P. Dione1, Francis G. Spinale3, Albert J. Sinusas1
1Yale University, New haven, CT, USA; 2University of Sao Paulo, Brazil; 3Medical University of South Carolina, USA
The toroid-based representation of MR diffusion tensor fields was used to investigate structural and fiber angle remodeling at 2- and 8-weeks post-MI compared to normal hearts. Toroidal DT-MRI indices provide a means for a non-destructive, regional quantification of hearts post-MI. Results suggest that structural changes attributed to left ventricular (LV) remodeling involve both the infarcted and non-infarcted LV myocardium. The ongoing tissue reorganization process is underscored by a concomitant alteration in diffusivity, anisotropy and myocardial fiber inclination in the remote territory between 2- and 8-weeks post-MI. The toroid-based parameters revealed a structural dynamic modification as a function of time post-MI.