Susceptibility-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging detects human myocardium supplied by a stenotic coronary artery without a contrast agent

Objectives Evaluation of the severity of a coronary artery stenosis is of paramount importance for therapy. A relevant stenosis provokes post-stenotic microvascular dilation with capillary recruitment. This autoregulatory response was investigated in the present study by use of susceptibility-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) without contrast agents. Background Functional alterations of the microvascular system may be studied noninvasively and without a contrast agent by susceptibility-sensitive MRI, which is based on the paramagnetic property of deoxyhemoglobin. This effect, also referred to as the “blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) effect,” is investigated by phase relaxation (T2*) measurements. Methods In patients (n = 16) with single-vessel coronary artery disease, no history of myocardial infarction, normal left ventricular function at rest, and a positive stress echocardiogram, the susceptibility-sensitive parameter T2* was assessed in the myocardium. Results In regions associated with the stenotic artery, T2* was significantly lower than in residual myocardium (p < 0.01). This difference in T2* increased after application of the vasodilator dipyridamole (p < 0.001). In patients being re-investigated after therapeutic interventions, the microvascular dilation was partly removed. Conclusions For the first time, we could show that myocardial BOLD MRI detects post-stenotic capillary recruitment dependent on coronary artery stenosis.