Ex vivo cardiac preservation was evaluated by measuring the catabolism of high-energy phosphate (ATP and creatine phosphate, CrP) using 31P-NMR spectroscopy. After cardioplegic arrest St. Thomas' Hospital cardioplegic solution (group A), and University of Wisconsin (UW) preservation solution (group B) were tested. The hearts were mounted in the 4.7 T horizontal bore magnet of the NMR spectrometer and were continuously perfused with the test solution under 25 cm H2O pressure for 6 h at 10 degrees C. Peak heights of the beta-phosphate of ATP and CrP were measured and expressed as percentages of the initial value. For both group A and group B. ATP declined less rapidly during preservation than CrP. In group A, ATP remained constant for 60 min while CrP decreased from the onset of preservation. After 6 h of preservation 28.3% of ATP and 24.5% of CrP remained (group A). On the other hand, in group B, levels of both ATP and CrP remained much more stable: CrP did not decrease during the first 3 h of preservation, while ATP started to decrease after 5 h. At the end of preservation 76.1% of ATP and 71.5% of CrP were still present. We conclude that UW solution is superior to St. Thomas' Hospital solution for the preservation of high-energy phosphates during 6 h cardiac preservation with continuous hypothermic low-flow perfusion.