T1 and T2 mapping reveal contribution of hemorrhage in myocardial remodeling following acute myocardial infarction

Background Hemorrhage is a frequent complication in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and is speculated to be an independent predictor of adverse outcomes [1]. In addition to infarct zone remodeling, the distal remote myocardium may experience alterations vasodilator dysfunction, edema, and extracellular matrix (ECM) expansion [2-4]. The aim of our study was to understand the impact of hemorrhage on infarct as well as remote myocardial remodeling following an ischemic event. To this end, we employed quantitative T1 and T2 mapping to probe the underlying tissue alterations in a novel hemorrhagic model of AMI.