BACKGROUND Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease characterized by microvascular abnormalities, inflammation and fibrosis. We hypothesized that myocarditis may be diagnosed in asymptomatic SSc, undergoing routine cardio-vascular magnetic resonance (CMR) for fibrosis assessment, using the Lake Louise criteria: T2 ratio, early (EGE) and late gadolinium enhanced (LGE) images. METHODS ...

CMR is a rapidly developing new modality with applications in clinical cardiology for detection and assessment of myocardial ischemia and viability. CMR perfusion results for the detection of ischemia in comparison with stress echocardiography and scintigraphic techniques are reasonable, but all the studies reported to date have been conduced in selected patients. Larger studies in patient popu...

OBJECTIVES For over 50 years, Q-wave myocardial infarction (MI) location has been based on pathologic ECG studies. Although contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance (CE-CMR) is currently the "gold standard" technique for location and quantification of necrotic areas, we found no large study in the literature devoted to establish which ECG patterns corresponds to different MI location detected by CE...

BACKGROUND Pompe disease (acid α-glucosidase deficiency) is one of several lysosomal storage diseases amenable to treatment with enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). While echocardiography (echo) has been the standard method to evaluate the cardiac response to ERT, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) has the advantage of a better tissue definition and characterization of myocardial fibrosis. ...

Methods Over a 7 year period, 161 patients were referred for CMR for evaluation of a known or suspected cardiac mass. A retrospective chart review of these 161 patients revealed that 42 patients (26%) had subsequent biopsyproven diagnosis of a cardiac mass. CMR characteristics of biopsy proven cardiac masses, including contrast enhancement on first pass and delayed images, signal intensity on T...

Methods 20 CMR studies of acute coronary syndromes were included in this study. Analysis was conducted using Argus, Siemens semi-automated volume analysis software. 3 observers conducted the image analysis with two levels of training: Observer 1) “Reference” CMR level 3 physician; Observer 2) and 3) CMR technologists with no previous experience on CMR analysis. Both technologists underwent a 2h...

Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is uniquely placed to characterize constrictive pericarditis. CMR comprehensively defines pericardial and myocardial anatomy as well as their structural and functional relationship. Indeed, through evaluation of regional myocardial deformation, ventricular interaction and venous return, CMR can accurately assess the physiological consequences of pericardial cons...

Methods The study population consisted of patients referred for LVEF measurement by CMR, for consideration of ICD implantation, who also underwent echocardiography within 30 days of the CMR. LVEF was assessed on echocardiography using Simpson’s biplane method. LVEF was determined from CMR based on manual planimetry of SSFP cine images of contiguous left ventricular short axis slices. CMR and ec...

Background Because of anatomic proximity, myocarditis is often associated with pericarditis. Although randomized trials have not delineated a successful evidence-based therapy for myocarditis, there is evidence of considerable benefit in treating pericarditis with a regimen of colchicine and a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Cardiac MRI (CMR) is capable of detecting both myocardit...