How to Use Multimodality Imaging in Cardio-Oncology

Area of Science:

• Cardio-oncology
• Cardiovascular imaging
• Cancer therapy side effects

Background:

• Cancer survivorship is increasing due to treatment advances.
• Cancer therapies can cause significant cardiovascular adverse events.
• Cardio-oncology addresses these cardiovascular risks through multidisciplinary collaboration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the role of cardiovascular multimodality imaging (CVMI) in cardio-oncology.
• To discuss the application of various CVMI techniques in managing cancer therapy-related cardiovascular toxicity.
• To emphasize CVMI's importance in early detection and monitoring of cardiac dysfunction.

Main Methods:

• Narrative review of current literature on CVMI in cardio-oncology.
• Focus on echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), nuclear imaging, and cardiac computed tomography.
• Discussion of CVMI's utility in diagnosing cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) and myocarditis.

Main Results:

• CVMI is essential for baseline evaluation, continuous monitoring, and early detection of cardiovascular toxicity.
• Echocardiography is the primary tool for CTRCD screening and monitoring.
• Advanced imaging like CMR is vital for diagnosing myocarditis and assessing complex cardiac issues.

Conclusions:

• CVMI is indispensable for safe and effective cancer treatment, enabling prompt cardioprotective interventions.
• Early detection of cardiovascular toxicity via CVMI allows for continued cancer therapy without compromising patient safety.
• This review provides a concise overview of CVMI modalities and their critical applications in cardio-oncology.