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Background: For transcoronary progenitor cells' administration, injections under flow arrest (over-the-wire balloon technique, OTW) are used universally despite lack of evidence for being required for cell delivery or being effective in stimulating myocardial engraftment. Flow-mediated endothelial rolling is mandatory for subsequent cell adhesion and extravasation., Methods: To optimize cell directing toward the coronary endothelium under maintained flow, the authors developed a cell-delivery side-holed perfusion catheter (PC). Thirty-four patients (36-69 years, 30 men) with primary stent-assisted angioplasty-treated anterior MI (peak TnI 151 [53-356]ng/dL, mean[range]) were randomly assigned to OTW or PC autologous ⁹⁹Tc-extametazime-labeled bone marrow CD34(+) cells (4.34 [0.92-7.54] × 10⁶) administration at 6-14 days after pPCI (LVEF 37.1 [24-44]%). Myocardial perfusion (⁹⁹(m)Tc-MIBI) and labeled cells' activity were evaluated (SPECT) at, respectively, 36-48 h prior to and 60 min after delivery., Results: In contrast to OTW coronary occlusions, no intolerance or ventricular arrhythmia occurred with PC cells' administration (P < .001). One hour after delivery, 4.86 [1.7-7.6]% and 5.05 [2.2-9.9]% activity was detected in the myocardium (OTW and PC, respectively, P = .84). Labeled cell activity was clearly limited to the (viable) peri-infarct zone in 88% patients, indicating that the infarct core zone may be largely inaccessible to transcoronary-administered cells., Conclusions: Irrespective of the transcoronary delivery method, only ≈ 5% of native (i.e., non-engineered) CD34(+) cells spontaneously home to the injured myocardium, and cell retention occurs preferentially in the viable peri-infarct zone. Although the efficacy of cell delivery is not increased with the perfusion method, by avoiding provoking ischemic episodes PC offers a rational alternative to the OTW delivery.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the role of myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) as a predictor of cardiac events and death in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI)., Methods: Eighty-six patients underwent primary percutaneous coronary angioplasty for AMI. Segmental perfusion was estimated by MCE in real time at mean 5 days after PCI using low MI (0.3) after 0.3-0.5 ml bolus injection of intravenous Optison. MCE was scored semiquantitatively as: (1) normal perfusion (homogenous contrast effect), (2) partial perfusion (patchy myocardial contrast enhancement), (3) lack of perfusion (no visible contrast effect). A contrast score index (CSI) was calculated as the sum of MCE scores in each segment divided by the total number of segments. The patients were followed up for cardiac events and death., Results: A CSI of >1.68 was taken to be a predictor of cardiac events and death. Death occurred only in patients with CSI >1.68. Patients with CSI >1.68 had a significantly (P = 0.03) higher incidence of cardiac death or cardiac events (75%) compared to those with CSI <1.68 (27%). The absence of residual perfusion within the infarct zone was an independent predictor of death and cardiac events (P = 0.02)., Conclusions: The absence of residual myocardial viability in the infarct zone supplied by an infarct-related artery is a powerful predictor of cardiac events in patients after AMI.

Background: Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CE-MRI) can identify myocardial scarring following acute myocardial infarction (AMI)., Aim: To compare myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) and CE-MRI in detection of resting perfusion defect in patients with acute myocardial infarction., Methods: Twenty four patients (21 men, 3 women, mean age 58.7 +/- 11.4 years) underwent primary percutaneous coronary angioplasty (PCI) for anterior AMI. All patients underwent MCE: segmental perfusion was estimated in real time before and immediately after PCI and on third day after PCI, using low mechanical index (0.3) after 0.3-0.5 ml bolus injections of intravenous OptisonTM. The MCE was scored semiquantitatively as: 1--homogenous contrast enhancement, 2--patchy contrast enhancement, 3--no contrast (non-viable myocardium). All patients underwent CE-MRI on a 1.5 T scanner (SONATA, Siemens) on the third day after PCI. Acquisition of short axis slices was performed before and 20 min after injection of Gd-DPTA (0.15 mmol/kg) with an inversion recovery TurboFLASH sequence (TE 1.1 ms, TR 700 ms, flip angle 300) in multiple breath-holds. The pattern of hyperenhancement representing MI (which intensity was more than 150% intensity of myocardium) was quantified by planimetry. The CE-MRI was scored according to the severity of myocardial scar as: 1--without scar, 2-- <50% of myocardial thickness, 3 - > 50% of myocardial thickness., Results: Myocardial perfusion was analysed using MCE and contrast-enhanced MRI in 362 segments. Agreement between MCE and CE-MRI for identification of viable versus necrotic myocardium on third day after PCI was 86% (kappa = 0.73). Thirteen (54%) patients showed transmural necrosis at CE-MRI while 11 (46%) showed non-transmural necrosis. Patients from the transmural necrosis group showed a higher creatine kinase peak (p = 0.0001), higher CK-MB (p = 0.00002) and higher troponine level (p = 0.008), and more impaired baseline regional contractile function (p = 0.045). All angiographic parameters were less favourable in this group before as well as after PCI than in patients with non-transmural necrosis., Conclusions: Myocardial contrast echocardiography correlates very well with CE-MRI in the assessment of myocardial perfusion after PCI in AMI. Contrast-enhanced MRI is accurate technique for assessing the infarct zone. Identification by CE-MRI of transmural necrosis was associated with more impaired left ventricular function, non-reperfused MI, and presence of Q waves in ECG.

Successful delivery of progenitor cells to the injury zone is a prerequisite for any effect of myocardial regeneration therapy. This key issue, however, has received far less attention than, for instance, a potential need for cell type selection or ex-vivo expansion, the optimal timing of cell application or multimodal functional evaluation after cellular transplantation. By combining myocardial perfusion scintigraphy, magnetic resonance imaging and 99Tc-HMPAO-labelled autologous bone marrow-derived CD34+ cells visualisation, we show in a 63-year-old man with a large anterior myocardial infarction that transcoronary applied cells (via the central lumen of an inflated over-the-wire balloon positioned in the stent implanted in primary PCI) graft preferentially to the infarct border zone. This is consistent with the idea that the area of myocardial 'irreversible' injury (i.e. the no-perfusion zone on perfusion scintigraphy or late enhancement zone on magnetic resonance) remains largely inaccessible to transcoronary-applied cells; thus other techniques need to be considered if the cell delivery is aimed at the zone of irreversible injury. The potency of such combined high-resolution visualisation provides grounds for comparing the efficacy of different methods of cell delivery after a recent myocardial infarction in man.

Background: The no-reflow phenomenon due to microvasculature damage is sometimes observed in patients despite patency of the infarct-related artery. The study aimed to assess the predictive value of clinical, hemodynamic and electrocardiographic parameters for the development of the no-reflow phenomenon in patients after successful coronary reperfusion., Methods: Eighty-six patients, mean age 58.4 +/- 11.2, underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute anterior myocardial infarction (AMI). Angiographic parameters, i.e. TIMI grade flow, cTFC, TMPG, wall motion score index (WMSI), ST-segment resolution and segmental perfusion, were estimated by myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE)., Results: As evidenced by MCE, 54 patients were classified as the reflow ones and 32 as no- reflow. Patients from the no-reflow group showed a higher creatine kinase peak (p = 0.0034), higher kinase-MB (p = 0.0033) and higher troponin level (p = 0.062), longer time span between the onset of pain and reperfusion (p = 0.0003), worse baseline WMSI (p = 0.0022), inferior flow in the infarct-related artery and ST-segment resolution. Univariate analysis revealed that age, time span between the onset of chest pain to PCI, all angiographic parameters, WMSI and ST-segment resolution were related to the no-reflow phenomenon. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that lack of preservation of normal or nearnormal flow before PCI and significant impairment of left ventricle contractility were independent predictive factors of the no-reflow phenomenon., Conclusions: MCE yields vital information about the outcome of coronary intervention in patients with AMI. Development of a no-reflow phenomenon is correlated with the severity of myocardial damage and poor flow through the infarct-related artery before PCI.

Introduction: The immediate and complete restoration of perfusion in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) leads to the survival of myocardial cells in the initially ischaemic risk area and makes the recovery of left ventricular contractile function possible., Aim: The goal of the study was to assess the utility of contrast echocardiography (CE) in the prediction of left ventricular function recovery in patients with AMI treated by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)., Methods: Eighty six patients (aged 58.4+/-11.2) with anterior AMI, treated by PCI of the left anterior descending coronary artery, were included in the study. Two-dimensional and contrast (Optison) echocardiography were performed immediately before and after PCI, and three days post-PCI. Myocardial contrasting was assessed using the following criteria: 0 -- lack of perfusion; 0.5 -- partial perfusion; 1 -- normal perfusion. On the third day post-PCI, the regional myocardial contrast index was evaluated as the mean value in dyssynergic left ventricular segments (LVRCstI). After three months, the left ventricular regional contractility index (LVRCtrctI) was calculated as the sum of points in the segments which were dyssynergic in the initial study, divided by their number., Results: 90% of segments with perfusion defects three days post-PCI demonstrated contractility defects (hypokinesia or akinesia) three months post-PCI. LVRCstI three days post-PCI correlated strongly with LVRCtrctI three months post-PCI (R2=0.7696). The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of EC three days post-PCI in the prediction of recovery of left ventricular function were 88%, 80% and 86%, respectively., Conclusions: The presence of myocardial perfusion in the region supplied by the infarct-related artery three days post-MI is indicative of myocardial survival and predicts the recovery of contractile function in this region in long-term observation.

Introduction: Recent evidence shows poor efficacy of over-the-wire balloon catheter (OTW) coronary occlusive technique adopted widely for intracoronary bone marrow stem cell (BMSC) delivery. The waterfall effect of OTW-balloon inflation/deflation with reactive > or = 2-fold flow velocity increase might be partly responsible for poor BMSC retention., Aim: To evaluate the safety, feasibility and tolerability of perfusion-infusion BMSC delivery with the facilitation of cell rolling in contact with the coronary endothelium (a pre-requisite for downstream transmigration)., Methods: We randomly assigned 11 patients (age 41-72 years) with first anterior myocardial infarction treated with PTCA+stent and LVEF < or =45% at 6-9 days to OTW in-stent occlusive (3 x 3 min.) BMSC delivery or cell infusion via a perfusion catheter with multiple side holes (SH-PC)., Results: OTW and SH-PC patients had a similar infarct size (mean peak CK 4361 vs 4717 U/L), LVEF (41.2% vs 40.3%), infused mononuclear cell number (2.99 x 108 range 0.61-7.48 x 108 vs 3.28 x 108 range 1.64-4.39 x 108), CD 34(+) number (1.79 x 106 vs 1.62 x 106), cell viability (91.5% vs 91.8%) and clonogenicity (CFU assay). None of the SH-PC, but 67% of OTW patients, had ST-segment elevation with chest pain (and nsVT in one) that limited OTW occlusion tolerance to 50-110 sec. At 6 months DLVEF in the OTW vs SH-PC patients was +4.2% (2-6) vs +8.8% (5-16) by MRI and +4.8 (2-7) vs +13.8% (2-24) by SPECT., Conclusions: Our work indicates that the SH-PC technique can be used safely for intracoronary BMSC transplantation. Further research is needed to determine whether the putative advantages of physiological SH-PC delivery translate into enhanced BMSC homing.

Unlabelled: The myocardial perfusion assessment in myocardial infarction is crucial to proper therapeutical decisions and patient's prognosis. The aim of the study to assess the efficacy of intravenous contrast echocardiography (MCE) in detecting myocardial perfusion defects in patients with acute myocardial infarction compared with 99mTc MIBI SPECT study., Material and Methods: 86 patients (mean age 58.4 +/- 11.2) underwent primary percutaneous coronary (PCI) for acute anterior myocardial infarction. TIMI grade flow, myocardial blush grade (TMPG), corrected TIMI frame count (cTFC) and segmental contractility and segmental perfusion were estimated in real time before and immediately after PCI, using injections of intravenous Optison. MCE performed before PCI described the risk area as the sum of segments with the lack of perfusion. A MCE perfusion defect size after PCI < 25% of the MCE perfusion defect size before PCI was used to define myocardial reperfusion. MCE was repeated on the third day after PCI. All patients underwent a rest 99mTc MIBI SPECT study (SPECT) on the third day after PCI., Results: Based on MCE, 54 patients had reperfusion ("reflow" group) and 32 had non-reperfusion ("no-reflow" group). Patients from the non-reperfusion group showed a higher creatine kinase peak (p = 0.0034), higher kinase-MB (p = 0.0033) and higher troponine level (p = 0.0629), longer time span between the onset of pain and reperfusion (p = 0.003), and worse baseline regional contractile function (p = 0.0022). All angiographic parameters were worse in this group before as well as after PCI: more often TIMI 0 or 1, TMPG 0 or 1 in patients from "no-reflow" group was observed. These patients had higher cTFC than ones from "reflow" group. The agreement between MCE and SPECT for detecting perfusion abnormality was 87%., Conclusions: MCE facilitated identification of myocardial perfusion abnormalities in patients with acute myocardial infarction, whereas serial MCE facilitated identification of patients with early and late improvement of myocardial perfusion. MCE correlated very well with SPECT images in assessing perfusion defect.

Background: The assessment of microvasculature damage after myocardial infarction (MI) has crucial implications., Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of intravenous contrast echocardiography (MCE) in detecting myocardial perfusion defects in patients with MI compared with the results of 99mTc MIBI SPECT study., Methods: 42 patients (9 F; 33 M, mean age 55.6 +/- 9.6) underwent primary percutaneous coronary (PCI) for acute anterior MI. TIMI grade flow, corrected TIMI frame count (cTFC), myocardial blush grade (TMPG), wall motion score index (WMSI), ST-segment resolution and segmental perfusion were estimated in real time before and immediately after PCI. MCE was performed after 0.3-0.5 ml bolus injections of intravenous Optison. MCE was done befor, immedietly after and on the third day after PCI. All patients underwent a rest 99mTc MIBI SPECT study (SPECT) on the third day after PCI., Results: A MCE perfusion defect size after PCI >50% of the MCE perfusion defect size before PCI was used to define myocardial non-reperfusion. Based on MCE, 24 patients had reperfusion and 18 had non-reperfusion. Patients from the non-reperfusion group showed a higher creatine kinase peak (p = 0.006), higher kinase-MB (p = 0.018) and higher troponine level (p = 0.002), longer time span between the onset of pain and reperfusion (p < 0.001). All angiographic parameters were worse in this group before as well as after PCI. The agreement between MCE and SPECT for detecting perfusion abnormality was 86%., Conclusions: MCE yields vital information about the outcome of coronary intervention in patients with anterior wall AMI. Development of no-reflow phenomenon is correlated with the severity of myocardial damage. MCE correlated very well with SPECT images in assessing perfusion defect.

Background: Microvasculature damage after myocardial infarction (MI), known as "no-reflow" phenomenon, may occur in some patients with acute MI in spite of invasive treatment and opened infarct-related coronary artery. There are several non-invasive and invasive methods used for the coronary flow assessment at the tissue level., Aim: To compare the value of intravenous contrast echocardiography (MCE) in detecting myocardial perfusion defects in patients with acute MI with (99m)Tc MIBI SPECT study., Methods: Sixteen patients (11 males, 5 females, mean age 55.4+/-10.2 years) underwent primary coronary angioplasty or facilitated angioplasty (with reduced dose of a fibrinolytic drug and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor) (PCI) for acute anterior MI. TIMI grade flow, TIMI Myocardial Perfusion Grade (TMPG), corrected TIMI frame count (cTFC), wall motion score index (WMSI) and segmental perfusion by myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) were estimated in real time before and immediately after PCI. MCE was repeated on the third day after PCI. All patients underwent (99m)Tc MIBI SPECT study (SPECT) while at rest on the third day after PCI. The area at risk was defined as the number of segments with no perfusion before angioplasty. Reflow was defined as an increase in contrast score in the same segments after angioplasty., Results: Baseline MCE showed 95 segments with perfusion defects. Immediately after PCI, 77 segments were found with perfusion defect; in 10 patients improvement of myocardial perfusion was observed whereas in 6 patients perfusion defect remained unchanged. On the third day further improvement was observed in 8 patients. The number of segments with perfusion defect decreased to 53. SPECT detected perfusion defect in 54 segments. The agreement between MCE and SPECT for detecting perfusion abnormality was 98% (kappa 0.94)., Conclusions: MCE is a safe technique for detecting myocardial perfusion in patients with acute MI. MCE proves that both primary and facilitated angioplasty improve myocardial perfusion in two thirds of patients with acute MI. Serial MCE allows identification of patients with both early and late improvement of myocardial perfusion. There is a very strong correlation between MCE and SPECT in the assessment of perfusion defects.