COMPUTER-ASSISTED MAPPING OF INFARCTED AND VIABLE REGIONS OF GROSS CARDIAC SECTIONS FOLLOWING EXPERIMENTAL MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION

We have developed a computer-assisted method that creates digital maps of the viable and infarcted regions of tetrazolium-stained gross card iac sections. Here we describe and test the method, using a canine occ lusion-reperfusion infarction model. Quantitative image analysis showe d that the method accurately recorded differences between infarcted an d viable regions at a spatial resolution of 5-20 pixels per mm(2). Mic roscopic analysis of tissue samples taken from the sections showed tha t the maps were accurate. In 15 of 15 cases the histology of the sampl es matched that predicted by the maps. A comparison of infarct area me asurements derived from the maps showed that the method was reproducib le. The average intraoperator standard deviation was +/-8% of a slice' s infarcted area and the average interoperator standard deviation was +/-20%. We conclude that the method creates accurate, detailed, and re producible maps of the infarcted and viable regions of tetrazolium-sta ined cardiac sections. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.