FIGURE 11.

Infarct size assessment and regional myocardial function. A and B: sequential short axis heart sections from base (top) to apex (bottom) of delayed gadolinium enhancement MRI images depicting the infarct extension (white) before treatment and 12 wk following MSC therapy (A) compared with the placebo (B). Comparable gross pathology sections are shown adjacent to the MRI images. Arrows delineate the infarct extension, and the asterisk illustrates the presence of a thrombus near the apex in a placebo animal. C: reduction in infarct size following 8 and 12 wk post MSC transplantation versus placebo (*P < 0.001 within MSC group ANOVA, †P < 0.05 between groups ANOVA, ‡P < 0.001 vs. preinjection status by Student-Newman-Keuls test). D: myocardial strain analysis represented by peak Ecc decreased in response to MSC treatment in infarct (left) and border (middle) areas but remained constant in the remote uninfarcted zone (right) (*P < 0.05 for ANOVA within MSC group, †P < 0.05 ANOVA between groups, ‡P < 0.05 vs. preinjection status by Student-Newman-Keuls test). At least five MRI time points were analyzed for MSC-treated hearts (n = 6) and placebo-treated hearts (n = 4). For week 4 tagged MRI images and week 8 delayed contrast enhancement MRI analysis, MSCs (n = 4) and placebo (n = 4). [From Quevedo et al. (290).]