Right ventricular cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging: normal anatomy and spectrum of pathological findings

BACKGROUND The right ventricle (RV) has been defined as the "forgotten chamber", as its role in cardiac physiopathology has long been underestimated. Nevertheless, the RV is involved in a wide range of pathological conditions and its altered function may significantly affect the patient's clinical status. METHODS A selection of the most common cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) features in a spectrum of pathological conditions is illustrated. Although its complex morphology, thin myocardium and trabeculated apex, RV can be accurately imaged by CMR, revealing its involvement in ischaemic and non-ischaemic heart disease. CMR has emerged as the pre-eminent modality in monitoring ventricular performance in congenital heart disease, pulmonary hypertension and cardiomyopathies. Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy is a difficult diagnosis and the recently revised task force criteria confirmed a crucial role of CMR to increase diagnostic accuracy, by combining detection of RV dilation, regional wall motion and structural abnormalities. Moreover, a multiparametric approach of CMR is often necessary for delineation and characterisation of cardiac masses. CONCLUSION CMR, combining assessment of morphology, structure and function, has definitively emerged as the reference technique to evaluate a large variety of RV diseases. TEACHING POINTS • CMR offers unique advantages for imaging of many RV congenital, ischaemic and non-ischaemic diseases. • Because of high reproducibility, CMR has a crucial role in decision-making for chronic RV pathology. • The use of CMR increases detection of RV disease as infarction or arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy.