Cardiac Amyloidosis Diagnosis with Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Case Report

Amyloidosis is a rare disease, which can affect various organs, such as the kidneys, heart, liver, respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts, and the nervous system. It still has a bad prognosis nowadays, despite chemotherapy and the new biotherapies. Its physiopathology corresponds to an irreversible, extracellular accumulation of fibrillous proteins in the tissues. Notwithstanding the fact that a clear diagnosis can be made with histology (of solid injured organs or a subcutaneous biopsy), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can show various advantages, especially to prove cardiac involvement, with great specificity and sensibility as well. Consequently, the MRI's place can be considered a cornerstone of the diagnosis; more so because biopsies are not routine and easy procedures. Moreover, amyloidosis includes several symptoms, which are sometimes tricky, so the clinician should swiftly consider the usefulness of MRI to get the patient well-oriented and treated.