Magnetic resonance imaging during dobutamine stress for detection and localization of coronary artery disease. Quantitative wall motion analysis using a modification of the centerline method.

BACKGROUNDQuantitative measurement of wall motion is essential to assess objectively the functional significance of coronary artery disease. We developed a quantitative wall thickening analysis on stress magnetic resonance images. This study was designed to assess the clinical value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during dobutamine stress for detection and localization of myocardial ischemia in patients with suspected coronary artery disease.METHODS AND RESULTSThirty-nine consecutive patients with clinically suspected coronary artery disease referred for coronary arteriography and 10 normal volunteers underwent gradient-echo MRI at rest and during peak dobutamine stress (infusion rate, 20 micrograms.kg-1.min-1). MRI was performed in the short-axis plane at four adjacent levels. Display in a cine loop provided a qualitative impression of regional wall motion (cine MRI). A modification of the centerline method was applied for quantitative wall motion analysis by means of calculation of percent systolic ...