Fig. 26

Fig. 26

Perfusion imaging is crucial in detecting functional changes in the vasculature. In normoxic pig myocardium 6 days after intramyocardial AdVEGF-B₁₈₆ and AdVEGF-D^ΔNΔC gene transfer, myocardial perfusion is increased at stress conditions in the treated region (gt) as measured with PET. Color scale is absolute; darkest blue is 0 ml/min/g, green is 1.5 ml/min/g, and deepest red is 3.0 ml/min/g or over (a–c). In control AdCMV group, relative perfusion, i.e., the ratio of absolute perfusion in the gene transfer area to that of the control anteroseptal area, did not increase at stress, whereas with both AdVEGF-B₁₈₆ and AdVEGF-D^ΔNΔC, the relative perfusion was higher in comparison with the control group. Relative perfusion at rest was 12 and 13% and at stress 40 and 34% higher for AdVEGF-B₁₈₆ and AdVEGF-D^ΔNΔC, respectively d, e. Ad, adenoviral; CMV, cytomegalovirus; ctrl, control anteroseptal area; gt, posterolateral gene transfer area [654]