Utility of tissue Doppler and strain echocardiography in arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD) is a heritable cardiomyopathy characterized by the fibrofatty replacement of right ventricular (RV) myocardium leading to RV failure and arrhythmias. This study evaluated the potential utility of tissue Doppler echocardiography (TDE) and strain echocardiography (SE) to quantitatively assess RV function and their potential role in diagnosing ARVD. Images of 30 patients with ARVD (diagnosed by task force criteria) and 36 healthy controls were obtained. Peak systolic velocity, early diastolic velocity, displacement, strain rate, strain, outflow tract diameter, and fractional RV area change were measured in all subjects. Peak RV systolic velocity (6.4 +/- 2.2 vs 9 +/- 1.6 cm/s, p <0.0001), early diastolic velocity (-6.7 +/- 2.7 vs -9.4 +/- 2 cm/s, p <0.0001), displacement (13.7 +/- 5.8 vs 18.7 +/- 3.5 mm, p <0.0003), strain rate (-1 +/- 0.7 vs -2 +/- 1 s(-1), p = 0.002), and strain (-10 +/- 6% vs -28 +/- 11%, p = 0.001) were significantly lower in patients with ARVD compared with controls, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity, respectively, were 67% and 89% for systolic velocity, 77% and 71% for displacement, 73% and 87% for strain, 50% and 96% for strain rate, 53% and 93% for outflow tract diameter, and 47% and 83% for fractional area change. RV systolic velocity and displacement were significantly lower than in controls, even in the subset of patients with ARVD with apparently normal right ventricles by conventional echocardiography. Inter- and intraobserver agreement was high. In conclusion, TDE and SE enable the detection of ARVD via the quantification of RV function and may have potential clinical value in the assessment of patients with suspected ARVD. Peak RV systolic velocity <7.5 cm/s and peak RV strain <18% best identify patients with ARVD.     

Role of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in assessment of nonischemic cardiomyopathies

Diagnosis of nonischemic cardiomyopathy is a challenging process that influences patient morbidity and mortality. Currently, the well known World Health Organization classification has been revisited by an American Heart Association expert consensus panel. The contemporary classification is compatible with the rapid evolution in molecular genetics and evolving diagnostic tools such as cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Magnetic resonance imaging is a robust diagnostic tool that offers various techniques to assess the function, morphology, perfusion, and scarring of myocardial tissue thus providing better understanding of the underlying causes of nonischemic cardiomyopathies. In this review, we discuss the current role of cardiac MRI in the evaluation of nonischemic cardiomyopathy, in the context of the current American Heart Association classification of these disorders.     

Quantification of myocardial perfusion using dynamic 64-detector computed tomography

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the ability of dynamic 64 slice multidetector computed tomography (d-MDCT) to provide an accurate measurement of myocardial blood flow (MBF) during first-pass d-MDCT using semiquantitative and quantitative analysis methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six dogs with a moderate to severe left-anterior descending artery stenosis underwent adenosine (0.14 mL . kg-1 . min-1) stress d-MDCT imaging according to the following imaging protocol: iopamidol 10 mL/s for 3 seconds, 8 mm x 4 collimation, 400 milliseconds gantry rotation time, 120 kV, and 60 mAs. Images were reconstructed at 1-second intervals. Regions of interest were drawn in the LAD and remote territories, and time-attenuation curves were constructed. Myocardial perfusion was analyzed using a model-based deconvolution method and 2 upslope methods and compared with the microsphere MBF measurements. RESULTS: The myocardial upslope-to-LV-upslope and myocardial upslope-to-LV-max ratio strongly correlated with MBF (R2 = 0.92, P < 0.0001 and R2 = 0.87, P < 0.0001, respectively). Absolute MBF derived by model-based deconvolution analysis modestly overestimated MBF compared with microsphere MBF (3.0 +/- 2.5 mL . g-1 . min-1 vs. 2.6 +/- 2.7 mL . g-1 . min-1, respectively). Overall, MDCT-derived MBF strongly correlated with microspheres (R = 0.91, P < 0.0001, mean difference: 0.45 mL . g-1 . min-1, P = NS). CONCLUSIONS: d-MDCT MBF measurements using upslope and model-based deconvolution methods correlate well with microsphere MBF. These methods may become clinically applicable in conjunction with coronary angiography and next generation MDCT scanners with larger detector arrays and full cardiac coverage.     

Marked lipomatous infiltration of the right ventricle: MRI findings in relation to arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe the structure and function of the heart in the presence of marked lipomatous infiltration of the right ventricular wall in 13 patients referred for second opinions about fatty infiltration of the right ventricular wall and suspected arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia. CONCLUSION: Lipomatous infiltration with right ventricular thickness > or = 6 mm on MRI but without regional or global functional abnormalities of the right ventricle appears to be distinct from fatty right ventricle associated with arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia. The finding of right ventricular fat must be interpreted cautiously to avoid the pharmacologic and defibrillator intervention associated with management of arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia.     

Multiple imputation for missing cardiac magnetic resonance imaging data: Results from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

BACKGROUND:

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive technique used to accurately and reproducibly measure biological parameters such as left ventricular mass. However, some subjects either refuse or are unable to complete testing, and the impact of excluding these missing data from predictive models is unknown.

METHODS:

Multiple imputation was applied to cardiac MRI data that were previously analyzed using a complete case approach. The model variables – 10 traditional cardiovascular risk factors and five sociodemographic variables – were used as a basis for imputation. Men and women were imputed separately. The primary focus was assessing the change in the cardiovascular predictors of left ventricular geometry and systolic function.

RESULTS:

Although 27% of participants were missing cardiac MRI data, multiple imputation returned results similar to those of a complete case analysis. These results were robust to the point of including additional variables in the imputation analysis above and beyond the model variables. The degree of variance explained by the models increased marginally but the statistical inference was altered for only two predictors out of 53 cardiovascular risk factors using multiple imputation.

DISCUSSION:

The results suggest that the cardiac MRI data in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) do not substantively change when missing data are handled using multiple imputation. Future analyses of cardiac MRI data may consider the complete case approach to be adequate despite the high rate of missing data in this population.     

Imaging of thoracic aortic disease

Computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and transesophageal echocardiography represent the relatively noninvasive techniques available for imaging thoracic aortic disease, especially in the evaluation of aneurysms and dissections. The article discusses the technique and application of these modalities in the evaluation of thoracic aorta. Imaging appearances of the commonly encountered pathologies of the thoracic aorta are presented and discussed, and potential pitfalls of technique and diagnosis are addressed.