Myocardial Infarction (MI)

MI is the leading cause of death in the US and in most developed nations throughout the world [1]. Heart failure is an increasingly morbid medical condition affecting 5.7 million people in the United States, leading to over 58,000 deaths per year; continued increase in these numbers is predicted [2]. Majority of heart failures are caused by myocardial ischemia secondary to coronary artery disease (CAD). As shown below, MI progresses rapidly from  ischemic region (gray) to subendocardial infarct  (black) which extends into midmyocardium gradually becoming transmural within 6 h.

The clinical goals in these patients are to prevent the progression of at-risk tissue towards infarction and to salvage viable tissue by restoring blood supply to ischemic regions. The mainstay for such clinical decision-making process is the perfusion-based assessment of myocardial viability in a multi-session imaging protocol. Cardiac perfusion by single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is a highly sensitive modality, but lacks adequate specificity. There exists high likelihood of false negative diagnosis which puts 24,000–72,000 of patients each year at mortal risk [3-6]. Additional information about the extent and location of infarct may enhance the diagnostic accuracy and provide optimal management of heart failure. Our Technology offers this option to the health care providers.

  1. Mozaffarian, D., et al, Heart disease and stroke statistics–2015 update: a report from the American Heart Association. Circulation, 2015. 131(4): p. e29-322.
  2. Schinkel, A.F., D. Poldermans, A. Elhendy, and J.J. Bax, Assessment of myocardial viability in patients with heart failure. J Nucl Med, 2007. 48(7): p. 1135-46.
  3. Pope, J.H., T.P. Aufderheide, R. Ruthazer, R.H. Woolard, J.A. Feldman, J.R. Beshansky, J.L. Griffith, and H.P. Selker, Missed diagnoses of acute cardiac ischemia in the emergency department. N Engl J Med, 2000. 342(16): p. 1163-70.
  4. Schor, S., S. Behar, B. Modan, V. Barell, J. Drory, and I. Kariv, Disposition of presumed coronary patients from an emergency room. A follow-up study. JAMA, 1976. 236(8): p. 941-3.
  5. Lee, T.H. and L. Goldman, Evaluation of the patient with acute chest pain. N Engl J Med, 2000. 342(16): p. 1187-95.
  6. McCarthy, B.D., J.R. Beshansky, R.B. D’Agostino, and H.P. Selker, Missed diagnoses of acute myocardial infarction in the emergency department: results from a multicenter study. Ann Emerg Med, 1993. 22(3): p. 579-82.