Fig. 1

Example of MaR and myocardial salvage index using contrast-enhanced SSFP magnetic resonance imaging. Corresponding left ventricular short axis views from a patient with an inferior STEMI caused by a right coronary artery occlusion. The epicardium is delineated by a green border, and the endocardium by a red border. The myocardium at risk (MaR) in the inferior segment is determined by area of early gadolinium enhancement on SSFP (delineated by a pink border in the panel to the left). The size of infarction in the inferior segment is determined by the area of late gadolinium enhancement delineated by a yellow border in the middle panel. Automatic computer-aided superimposition of the infarcted area and the MaR area can be used to calculate the myocardial salvage index (as a ratio of the two areas, 1-scar area/MaR), panel to the right. MaR = myocardium at risk; CE-SSFP = contrast-enhanced steady-state free precession; STEMI = ST-elevation myocardial infarction; LGE = late gadolinium enhancement