AIMS To assess fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor-B (VEGF-B) effects on flow reserve and morphological adaptation in the rabbit ischemic hind limb. METHODS Following bilateral femoral artery ligation, calf blood pressure (C(BP)), flow reserve, collateral artery numbers and capillary numbers were assessed. Treatment consisted of rabbit serum albumin (RSA)...

Focus. The key issue here is whether resting skeletal muscle is fully perfused. We will make the case that it is not, and thus there exists a reserve of unperfused capillaries (capillary reserve) that are recruited to carry flow not only by muscle contraction, but also by insulin. Our background. Our interest in this area arose from efforts to develop noninvasive methods to assess whether insul...

Focus. The key issue here is whether resting skeletal muscle is fully perfused. We will make the case that it is not, and thus there exists a reserve of unperfused capillaries (capillary reserve) that are recruited to carry flow not only by muscle contraction, but also by insulin. Our background. Our interest in this area arose from efforts to develop noninvasive methods to assess whether insul...

BACKGROUND Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and [(11)C]acetate positron emission tomography (PET) were used to assess the hypothesis that patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NIDCM) have decreased subendocardial perfusion reserve and impaired oxidative metabolism, consistent with the concept of "energy starvation" in heart failure (HF). METHODS AND RESULTS CMR myocardial perfusio...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Cardiac allograft vasculopathy affects both epicardial and microcirculatory coronary compartments. Magnetic resonance perfusion imaging has been proposed as a useful tool to assess microcirculation mostly outside the heart transplantation setting. Instantaneous hyperemic diastolic flow velocity-pressure slope, an intracoronary physiology index, has demonstrated a bet...

Currently, adenosine or dipyridamole is commonly used for the assessment of perfusion reserve. With intolerance to these agents, dobutamine can be used alternatively or it can be used for a combined examination of wall motion and perfusion. The aim of the study was to analyze the feasibility of cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) to assess perfusion reserve with dobutamine. Alterations of m...

Objective: To assess the role of intravenous myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) in predicting functional recovery and regional or global left ventricular (LV) remodelling after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) compared with low dose dobutamine stress echocardiography (LDSE). Methods: 21 patients with anterior AMI and successful primary angioplasty underwent MCE and LDSE during the suba...

OBJECTIVE To assess the role of intravenous myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) in predicting functional recovery and regional or global left ventricular (LV) remodelling after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) compared with low dose dobutamine stress echocardiography (LDSE). METHODS 21 patients with anterior AMI and successful primary angioplasty underwent MCE and LDSE during the suba...

The knowledge of myocardial perfusion in healthy volunteers is fundamental for evaluation of patients with ischemic heart disease. The study was conducted to determine range, regional variability, and transmural gradient of myocardial perfusion in normal volunteers with Magnetic Resonance Perfusion Imaging (MRPI). Perfusion was assessed in 17 healthy volunteers (age: 20-47 yr, 11 males) at rest...