Background-The relation between infarct tissue heterogeneity on contrast-enhanced MRI and the occurrence of spontaneous ventricular arrhythmia (or sudden cardiac death) is unknown. Therefore, the study purpose was to evaluate the predictive value of infarct tissue heterogeneity assessed with contrast-enhanced MRI on the occurrence of spontaneous ventricular arrhythmia with subsequent implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy (as surrogate of sudden cardiac death) in patients with previous myocardial infarction.

ONE MARROW CELL THERAPY IS currently being investigated as a new therapeutic option for patients with ischemic heart disease. The goal of this treatment is to improve myocardial perfusion and contractile performance through administration of therapeutic cells into ischemically damaged myocardium. The majority of clinical studies conducted so far investigated whether intracoronary bone marrow cell infusion could enhance functional recovery after acute myocardial infarction. 1-3 Animal model studies, however, suggested that bone marrow cell therapy may also improve myocardial perfusion and increase left ventricular (LV) function in chronic ischemia. 4,5 A number of nonrandomized clinical studies indicated the safety and feasibility of intramyocardial bone marrow cell injection. 6-9 Moreover, a beneficial effect on myocardial perfusion and LV function was presumed. Until now, only 2 smallsized randomized controlled studies assessed the effect of bone marrow cell injection in patients with chronic myocardial ischemia. 10,11 Since the results of these 2 studies were discrepant, the beneficial effect of this treatment mo-Author Affiliations are listed at the end of this article.

Use of 3D three-directional VE MR imaging enables accurate MV and TV flow quantification, even in patients with valve regurgitation.

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Flow assessment using 3D 3-directional VE MR with retrospective valve-tracking during off-line analysis enables accurate quantification of net flow volumes through 4 heart valves within a single acquisition in healthy volunteers and in patients with valvular regurgitation.