A 56-year-old man presents to the emergency room with 1 hour of chest pain. Laboratory studies show an increased leukocyte count and increased serum levels of cardiac enzymes. ECG confirms a massive transmural myocardial infarction of the left ventricle. The patient dies 2 days later. Histologic examination of the left main coronary artery at autopsy is shown in the image. Examination of injured heart muscle would be expected to show which of the following pathologic changes by light microscopy?
A.
Collagen-rich scar tissue
B.
Extensive infiltration of myocardium with mononuclear cells
C.
Necrosis of cardiac myocytes and infiltrates of neutrophils
D.
No obvious changes evident by light microscopy
E.
Proliferation of fi broblasts and capillary endothelial cells