Determination of regional blood volume and intra- extracapillary water exchange in human myocardium using feruglose: First clinical results in patients with coronary artery disease

Abstract

The aim of this pilot study in humans was to investigate the effect of an intravascular contrast agent (CA) on relaxation rate in myocardium (R1,myo) in the steady state. The dependence of R1,myo on R1,blood was characterized and compared with a theoretical model which allowed determination of the intra- extracapillary water proton exchange frequency (f = 0.48 s-1) and the intracapillary blood volume (RBV = 12.9 %). A linear response range of ΔR1,myo on ΔR1,blood was estimated which in future studies will allow the determination of RBV with intravascular CA. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.