Abstract #1139

Quantification of Myocardial Blood Volume and Measurement of Water Exchange with an Intravascular Contrast Agent in Healthy Volunteers

Octavia Biris¹,², Saurabh Shah³, Christopher Glielmi³, Daniel C. Lee⁴, James C. Carr¹, Timothy J. Carroll¹,²

¹Radiology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States; ²Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States; ³Customer Solutions Group, Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc., Chicago, IL, United States; ⁴Feinberg Cardiovascular Research Institute, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States

Absolute quantification of myocardial blood volume (ml/100g) may provide important information about myocardial viability in coronary artery disease and in heart transplants, where the formation of fibrotic tissue and global MBV reduction in the myocardium precedes organ rejection. We show a first observation of quantitative myocardial blood volume and water proton exchange in human volunteers with an intravascular contrast agent. Myocardial blood volume was calculated pixel-by-pixel from steady-state T1-weighted signal before and after administration of contrast agent. We show intra- to extra-vascular water exchange in the myocardium to fit a previously published two compartment slow water exchange model.