Benjamin Waghorn1,2, Jimei Liu1,
Nathan Yanasak1, Tom C.-C. Hu1,2
1Department of Radiology, Medical College
of Georgia, Augusta, GA, United States; 2Nuclear and Radiological
Engineering and Medical Physics Programs, Georgia Institute of Technology,
Atlanta, GA, United States
Intracellular
calcium (Ca2+) overloading that occurs during myocardial ischemia-reperfusion
is known to exacerbate injuries. This study demonstrates the use of cardiac T1-mapping
manganese-enhanced MRI for identifying and quantifying regional differences
in tissue Mn2+, and therfore inferred Ca2+, handling
that occur after a myocardial infarction (MI) in the murine model. Regional
alterations in Mn2+ efflux were detected, suggesting changes in
NCX activity and altered Mn2+ content in ischemic tissue,
consistent with changes in Ca2+ handling post-MI. This technique
could potentially be developed to provide and indirect in vivo assessment of Ca2+ handling alterations.