In vivo phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance study of the regional metabolic response to cardiac ischemia.

Abstract

We applied 31P nuclear magnetic resonance to the study of acute ischemia in vivo. In open-chest rabbits, the left anterior descending coronary artery was occluded after control spectra were obtained. Phosphocreatine concentration decreased in the first minute and ATP concentration declined subsequently, and pH decreased to 5.8 within 20 min. Intracellular acidosis was greater than that previously reported for the isolated perfused rabbit heart.