This study aims to investigate the feasibility of creatine (Cr) CEST imaging in assessing cardiac contractile function impairment. Eleven MI pigs underwent cine, Cr CEST and LGE imaging at 3T. Significant reduction of Cr CEST and function indices (i.e., CS, RS, WT and WM) was shown in infarct myocardium compared to that in the remote region. Cardiac function indices were shown to decrease with Cr CEST signal with moderate correlations (P<0.001). The study demonstrated the intrinsic linkage between creatine metabolic and functional changes in MI heart, suggesting the feasibility of Cr CEST in evaluating cardiac dysfunction at the molecular level.
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