Usefulness of Resting Strain Rate Imaging to Predict Viability following Acute Myocardial Infarction Strain Rate Imaging and Myocardial Viability

Abstract

Background: We sought to explore the accuracy of resting strain (S) and strain rate (SR) to predict viability following myocardial infarction, taking 99mTc-sestamibi scintigraphy as the 'gold standard' for diagnosis. Methods: We enrolled 60 consecutive patients presenting for myocardial viability assessment at least 4 weeks following ST segment elevation myocardial infarction. S and SR rate were individually measured for all myocardial segments at rest. Based on the results of scintigraphy, both strain and strain rate were compared between viable and non-viable segments in each individual segment position. Results: S was significantly higher in viable as compared with non-viable segments in the basal inferior, basal anteroseptal, basal posterior, as well as apical inferior positions (p 0.05 for all). Similarly, SR was significantly higher in viable as compared with non-viable segments in the mid-lateral, mid- and apical anterior, apical inferior, as well as basal anteroseptal positions (p 0.05 for all). Conclusion: In patients undergoing viability assessment following ST segment elevation myocardial infarction, resting values of both S and SR have a poor diagnostic accuracy, taking 99mTc-sestamibi imaging as the gold standard.