Use of sequential teboroxime imaging for the detection of coronary artery occlusion and reperfusion in ischemic and infarcted myocardium.

Nine Yorkshire pigs underwent coronary artery occlusion followed by 2 hours of reperfusion. In five pigs (group A) the occlusion time was 15 minutes and in four pigs (group B) the occlusion time was 1 hour. Teboroxime was administered and images were acquired at baseline, and following occlusion and reperfusion. Infarct size was determined by triphenyl tetrazolium staining. Normalized regional myocardial blood flow, as determined by radio-labeled microspheres, was 0.26 +/- 0.09 following occlusion and 0.83 +/- 0.07 following reperfusion (p < 0.01). Significant differences were found between the defect/normal scan ratios on the baseline and occlusion scans (1.0 +/- 0.03 vs 0.54 +/- 0.10; p < 0.01) and between the occlusion and reperfusion scans (0.54 +/- 0.10 vs 0.97 +/- 0.17; p < 0.01). This is the first study to demonstrate that rapid sequential teboroxime imaging can detect acute coronary occlusion and reperfusion to both ischemic and infarcted myocardium. Teboroxime may be an excellent tracer for the early evaluation of infarct artery patency in patients receiving thrombolytic therapy.