Affiliation:
1. University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf
2. University of Wisconsin-Madison
Abstract
Abstract
Objectives: Strain is an important imaging
parameter to determine myocardial deformation. This study sought to
1) assess changes in left ventricular strain and ejection fraction
(LVEF) from acute to chronic ST-elevation myocardial infarction
(STEMI) and 2) analyze strain as a predictor of late gadolinium
enhancement (LGE).
Methods: 32 patients with STEMI and 18
controls prospectively underwent cardiac magnetic resonance
imaging. Patients were scanned 8±5 days and six months after
infarction (±1.4 months). Feature tracking was performed and LVEF
was calculated. LGE was determined visually and quantitatively on
short-axis images and myocardial segments were grouped according to
the LGE pattern (negative, non-transmural and transmural).
Results: Global strain was impaired in
patients compared to controls, but improved within six months after
STEMI (longitudinal strain from -14±4 to -16±4%, p<0.001; radial
strain from 38±11 to 42±13%, p=0.006; circumferential strain from
-15±4 to -16±4%, p=0.023). Regional strain persisted impaired in
LGE-positive segments. LVEF was preserved (51±12 and 53±10%,
p=0.206). Circumferential strain could best distinguish between
LGE-negative and -positive segments (AUC 0.73- 0.77).
Conclusion: Strain improves within six months
after STEMI, but remains impaired in LGE-positive segments. Strain
may serve as an imaging biomarker to analyze myocardial viability.
Especially circumferential strain could predict LGE.
Publisher
Research Square Platform LLC