Histologic validation of myocardial microstructure obtained from
diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging.
Scollan, Df, Alex Holmes, Raimond Winslow and John Forder.
1Department of Biomedical Engineering and Center for Computational
Medicine and Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine,
Baltimore, MD 21205, and 2Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins
University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205
APStracts 5:0343R, 1998.
Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is a possible new
means of elucidating the anatomical structure of the myocardium. It
enjoys several advantages over traditional histological approaches,
including the ability to rapidly measure fiber organization in
isolated, perfused, arrested hearts, and so avoid fixation and
sectioning artifacts. However, quantitative validation of this MR
imaging method has been lacking. Here, fiber orientations estimated
in the same locations in the same heart using both diffusion tensor
MR and histology are compared in a total of two perfused rabbit
hearts. Fiber orientations were statistically similar for both
methods, and differed on average by 12( at any single location. This
is similar to the 10( uncertainty in fiber orientation achieved with
histology. Additionally, imaging studies performed in a total of 7
hearts support a level of organization beyond the myofiber, the
recently described laminar organization of the ventricular
myocardium.
Received 3 April 1998; accepted in final form 31 August 1998.
APS Manuscript Number R203-8.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Regulatory Integrative
Comp. Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1998 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 21 September 1998