ORAL PRESENTATION Open Access Hyperpolarized metabolic imaging of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion in a small-animal model

allows in-vivo assessment of metabolic processes. The aims of the present study were to establish a living rat model of ischemia-reperfusion and to study the meta-bolic changes in the myocardium following short peri-ods of coronary artery occlusion using intravenous injection of hyperpolarized 1-13C pyruvate. Methods An inflatable balloon was secured around the left coron-ary artery of Sprague Dawley rats. 5-7 days after surgery rats were placed in a Bruker Biospec 9.4T small animal MR system. To enhance bicarbonate signal, animals received an iv glucose/potassium infusion. The tubing of the occluder was connected to extension tubing to allow occlusion while the animal remained in the bore of the MR system