[Right ventricular function in cardiovascular disease evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging]

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Imaging
• Cardiac MRI
• Right Ventricle Assessment

Context:

• Right ventricular (RV) evaluation is crucial in diagnosing and managing cardiac diseases.
• Traditional imaging methods may have limitations in fully assessing RV architecture and dynamics.
• ECG-gated MRI offers a non-invasive approach to detailed RV analysis.

Purpose:

• To assess the utility of ECG-gated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for evaluating right ventricular (RV) architecture and function.
• To measure RV wall thickness, wall motion, and cavity dimensions in normal subjects and patients with various cardiac conditions.
• To compare RV parameters obtained by ECG-gated MRI across different pathologies including atrial septal defect (ASD), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), and old myocardial infarction (OMI).

Summary:

• ECG-gated MRI successfully visualized the RV myocardium and enabled accurate measurements of wall thickness and cavity areas throughout the cardiac cycle.
• In normal subjects, mean anterior RV wall thickness was 3.4 mm and end-diastolic RV cavity area index was 10.6 cm²/m².
• Patients with HCM showed increased anterior RV wall thickness (5.8 mm), while ASD patients had enlarged RV cavities (18.4 cm²/m²) and HCM patients had smaller cavities (9.1 cm²/m²). RV wall motion was reduced in ASD and DCM patients.

Impact:

• ECG-gated MRI provides detailed insights into RV morphology and dynamics, aiding in the diagnosis of conditions like HCM and ASD.
• The study highlights the capability of MRI to differentiate between normal and diseased RV characteristics.
• This technique enhances the understanding of RV involvement in various cardiomyopathies and ischemic heart disease.