IRon Nanoparticle Enhanced MRI in the Assessment of Myocardial infarctioN

Ferumoxytol is an example of a 'smart' magnetic resonance contrast agent that consists of ultrasmall superparamagnetic particles of iron oxide (USPIOs) and is avidly taken up by macrophages. Through a previous work, the investigators have established that USPIOs can identify inflammation in the wall of abdominal aortic aneurysms and that this is associated with a three-fold increase in the rate of aneurysm growth. The utility of ferumoxytol for imaging cardiovascular inflammation in other areas of the body has yet to be established but Dr Alam has established uptake of USPIOs in the penumbra and infarct zone of the myocardium in patients with a recent myocardial infarction. The investigators wish to assess USPIO uptake in patients with recent acute myocardial infarction and identify the time course and determinants of cellular tissue inflammation. This will be the first clinical study to examine the ability of USPIOs to image myocardial inflammation following acute myocardial infarction.