Evaluation and simplified measurement of infarct size by myocardial contrast echocardiography in a rat model of myocardial infarction

To test the feasibility and accuracy of myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) for predicting infarct size (IS) in a rat model of myocardial infarction (MI) and to compare a simplified single plane-based measurement of IS with the conventional three plane-based approach. Fifty male SD rats underwent left anterior descending artery ligation and were evaluated by MCE 8 h post MI. IS was calculated by the single and three plane-based approaches, compared to that determined by triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining method. Simplified single plane-based MCE approach and TTC method showed similar IS values (38.48 ± 16.80% vs. 35.72 ± 15.33%, P > 0.05) and presented a favorable positive correlation (r = 0.851, P < 0.001). IS values derived from simplified single plane-based approach was also highly significantly correlated with that by the conventional MCE method (r = 0.973, P < 0.001). Bland–Altman plots also displayed satisfactory agreement between them. MCE was validated as a novel technique to quantify infarct area in rats with MI. A single measurement at the mid-papillary muscle level may become a simple, efficient and reliable approach for in vivo IS assessment. Xianghui Chen and Kai Cui are co-first authors.