Microvascular integrity indicates myocellular viability in patients with recent myocardial infarction. New insights using myocardial contrast echocardiography.

Abstract

In patients studied in the cardiac catheterization laboratory between 1 day and 4 weeks after AMI, an intact microvasculature as identified by MCE indicates myocardial regions that improve function 1 month later. This study demonstrates that microvascular patency is closely associated with myocardial cellular viability after AMI in humans.