The relationship of myocardial oxygenation to coronary flow and oxygen saturation during CO2 manipulations

Abstract

Background Oxygenation-sensitive (OS) imaging relies on alterations of deoxyhemoglobin (dHb) in the blood. Thus signal intensity (SI) is dependent on the factors that shift the dHb fraction; oxygen saturation, tissue oxygen extraction and blood supply. We aimed to physically measure and compare these parameters while manipulating myocardial oxygenation with systemic CO2 changes. These changes cause hypercapnic vasodilation and hypocapnic vasoconstriction, which affect the myocardial blood supply and subsequently myocardial oxygenation. Methods In 8 anaesthetized swine, we acquired OS images in 3 short axis slices (mid, mid-apical and apical) using an ECG triggered balanced SSFP sequence with standard cine imaging for function acquired in a short-axis stack in a clinical 3T magnet during normoxia (paO2 =1 00 mmHg). Arterial pCO2 levels of 30, 40 and 50 mmHg were targeted through ventilation settings. Coronary flow was measured using a surgically implanted perivascular MRI-compatible ultrasound flow probe around the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery. Blood gases were analyzed from blood drawn through a catheter in the femoral artery and in the coronary sinus, which were obtained simultaneously with LAD flow measurements and OS images. The images were analyzed in systole and assessed for the global myocardial %-change SI in comparison to the baseline values at paCO2 = 40 mmHg.