Three-compartment (3C) pharmacokinetic modeling is more accurate than two-compartment (2C) modeling of myocardial fibrosis gadolinium kinetics

We observed significantly different curve shapes in healed chronic myocardial infarction when compared with normal myocardium and found that gadolinium kinetics was more accurately modeled (greater R2) with a 3C model rather than a 2C model. 2C Modeling of fibrotic and normal myocardium showed both a significant difference between the transport into the tissue and extracellular volumes while 3C modeling showed only a significant difference between the extracellular volumes of fibrotic and normal myocardium as well as the functional existence of a third compartment in fibrotic and not in normal myocardium.