Dual-Contrast

BACKGROUND: Optimal healing of the myocardium following myocardial infarction (MI) requires a suitable degree of inflammation and its timely resolution, together with a well-orchestrated deposition and degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. METHODS AND RESULTS: MI and SHAM-operated animals were imaged at 3,7,14 and 21 days with 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using a (19)F/(1)H surface coil. Mice were injected with (19)F-perfluorocarbon (PFC) nanoparticles to study inflammatory cell recruitment, and with a gadolinium-based elastin-binding contrast agent (Gd-ESMA) to evaluate elastin content. (19)F MRI signal co-localized with infarction areas, as confirmed by late-gadolinium enhancement, and was highest 7days post-MI, correlating with macrophage content (MAC-3 immunohistochemistry) (ρ=0.89,P