Contrast enhanced and functional magnetic resonance imaging for the detection of viable myocardium after infarction.

Purpose: Viable myocardium after acute myocardial infarction may be characterized by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) either by demonstration of recovery of wall motion under dobutamine stress or by perfusion patterns after contrast medium administration. This study examines the relation between the two techniques.

Materials And Methods: Gradient-echo MRI at rest and under low-dose dobutamine stress was performed in 28 patients within the first 2 weeks after acute myocardial infarction.