Comprehensive work up of right ventricular reverse remodelling after successful pulmonary endarterectomy for chronic thrombembolic pulmonary hypertension - a cardiac magnetic resonance study

Background About 3.8% of patients suffering an acute pulmonary embolism will develop chronic thrombembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). As a consequence of increasing pulmonary pressure and resistance right ventricular systolic and diastolic function deteriorate while right ventricular volumes increase. Pulmonary thrombendarterectomy (PEA) offers a potential cure with excellent longterm outcome. Cardiac MRI is an ideal tool to monitor remodelling and reverse remodelling before and after PEA, because it allows complete volumetric coverage of the complex right ventricular geometry. Several non invasive parameters which characterize diastolic, systolic and ventriculo-arterial properties can be derived from theses measurements. To quantify the remodelling potential of the right ventricle we performed volumetric measurements before and after PEA