Unravelling the grey zone: cardiac MRI volume to wall mass ratio to differentiate hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and the athlete's heart.

BACKGROUND: Differentiating physiological left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in athletes from pathological hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) can be challenging. This study assesses the ability of cardiac MRI (CMR) to distinguish between physiological LVH (so-called athlete's heart) and HCM. METHODS: 45 patients with HCM (71% men and 20% athletic) and 734 healthy control participants (60% men and 75% athletic) underwent CMR. Quantitative ventricular parameters were used for multivariate logistic regression with age, gender, sport status and left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic volume (EDV) to ED ventricular wall mass (EDM) ratio as covariates. A second model added the LV EDV : right ventricular (RV) EDV ratio. The performance of the model was subsequently tested. RESULTS: LV EDM was greater in patients with HCM (74 g/m2) compared with healthy athletes/non-athletes (53/41 g/m2), while LV EDV was largest in athletes (114 ml/m2) as compared with non-athletes (94 ml/m2) and patients with HCM (88 ml/m2). The LV EDV : EDM ratio was significantly lower in patients with HCM compared with healthy controls and athletes (1.30/2.39/2.25, p<0.05). The LV EDV : RV EDV ratio was significantly greater in patients with HCM (1.10) than in healthy participants (non-athletes/athletes 0.94/0.93). The regression model resulted in high sensitivity and specificity levels in all and borderline-LVH participants (as defined by septal wall thickness). Corresponding areas under the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were 0.995 (all participants) and 0.992 (borderline-LVH participants only). Adding the LV EDV : RV EDV ratio yielded no additional improvement. CONCLUSIONS: A model incorporating the LV EDV : EDM ratio can help distinguish HCM from physiological hypertrophy in athletes. This also applies to cases with borderline LVH, which present the greatest diagnostic challenge in clinical practice.

Sport category is an important determinant of cardiac adaptation: an MRI study.

BACKGROUND: Physiological cardiac adaptation in athletes is influenced by body surface area, gender, age, training intensity and sport type. This study assesses the influence of sport category and provides a physiological reference for sport category and gender. METHODS: Three hundred and eighty-one subjects (mean age 25±5 years, range 18 to 39 years; 61% men) underwent cardiac MRI and ECG: 114 healthy non-athletes (≤3 training h/week) and 267 healthy elite athletes (mean 17±6.6 training h/week). Athletes performed low-dynamic high-static (LD-HS, n=42), high-dynamic low-static (HD-LS, n=144) or high-dynamic high-static sports (HD-HS, n=81). RESULTS: Left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic volume (EDV) index (ml/m(2)) for non-athletes/LD-HS/HD-LS/HD-HS, respectively, was 101/107/122/129 in men and 90/103/106/111 in women. LV end-diastolic mass (EDM) index (g/m(2)) for non-athletes/LD-HS/HD-LS/HD-HS was, respectively, 47/49/57/69 for men and 34/38/42/51 for women. Left or right ventricular EDV ratios were alike in all groups. LV EDV/EDM ratios were similar in non-athletes/LD-HS/HD-LS athletes, and only lower in HD-HS athletes, disproving selective ventricular wall thickening in LD-HS athletes. Multivariate linear regression demonstrated HD-LS and HD-HS sport category coefficients (p<0.01) larger than those of training hours, gender and age (LV EDV/EDM coefficients for sport category LD-HS 6/0.75, HD-LS 16/7, HD-HS 21/17). ECG abnormalities were most frequent in HD-HS athletes and in male subjects. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates a balanced cardiac adaptation with preserved ratios of LV/right ventricular volume (in all sport categories) and LV volume/wall mass (in LD-HS and HD-LS sports). Sport category has a strong impact on cardiac adaptation. HD-HS sports show the largest changes, whereas LD-HS sports show dimensions similar to non-athletes.

ECU tendon subluxation: A nonspecific MRI finding occurring in all wrist positions irrespective of ulnar-sided symptoms?

BACKGROUND: Recurrent subluxation or dislocation of the extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) tendon from the ulnar groove is an important cause of ulnar-sided wrist pain. Demonstration of ECU subluxation on MRI is of unclear clinical significance. Previous studies have suggested wrist positioning can affect the ECU's position relative to the ulnar groove. This study evaluates the relationship between ECU subluxation and wrist positioning on MRI, and separately their association with ulnar-sided symptoms. METHODS: 161 wrist MRI scans of 141 patients from four hospitals were retrospectively evaluated for wrist position (defined by radio-ulnar angle), degree of ECU subluxation and the presence of ulnar-sided symptoms and MRI abnormalities. 30 scans were scored by two different raters to assess interrater reliability. A linear regression model was constructed to assess the relation between wrist positioning and subluxation, accounting for other variables. A logistic regression model was constructed to evaluate which variables are predictive of ulnar-sided symptoms. RESULTS: ECU subluxation was neither significantly correlated to wrist position (p = 0.338) nor predictive of the presence of ulnar-sided symptoms (odds ratio 1.28, 95% CI 0.39-4.18). ECU position varied widely for all wrist positions and subluxation occurred in all wrist positions, both in symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects. No trend was observed towards more frequent subluxation in supination, contrary to previous studies. Interrater reliability for radioulnar angle and ECU displacement was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient for consistency 0.993 and 0.943, respectively). CONCLUSION: ECU subluxation occurs frequently in all wrist positions, irrespective of ulnar-sided symptoms, and is not associated with ulnar-sided symptoms.

Anabolic androgenic steroid use is associated with ventricular dysfunction on cardiac MRI in strength trained athletes.

BACKGROUND: Uncertainty remains about possible cardiac adaptation to resistance training. Androgenic anabolic steroids (AAS) use plays a potential role and may have adverse cardiovascular effects. OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the effect of resistance training and of AAS-use on cardiac dimensions and function. PARTICIPANTS: Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) were performed in 156 male subjects aged 18-40 years: 52 non-athletes (maximum of 3 exercise hours/week), 52 strength-endurance (high dynamic-high static, HD-HS) athletes and 52 strength (low dynamic-high static, LD-HS) trained athletes (athletes ≥ 6 exercise hours/week). 28 LD-HS athletes denied and 24 admitted to AAS use for an average duration of 5 years (range 3 months-20 years). RESULTS: No significant differences were found between non-athletes and non-AAS-using LD-HS athletes. AAS-using LD-HS athletes had significantly larger LV and RV volumes and LV wall mass than non-AAS-using LD-HS athletes, but lower than HD-HS athletes. In comparison to all other groups AAS-using LD-HS athletes showed lower ejection fractions of both ventricles (LV/RV EF 51/48% versus 55-57/51-52%) and lower E/A ratios (LV/RV 1.5/1.2 versus 1.9-2.0/1.4-1.5) as an indirect measure of diastolic function. Linear regression models demonstrated a significant effect of AAS-use on LV EDV, LV EDM, systolic function and mitral valve E/A ratio (all ANOVA-tests p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Strength athletes who use AAS show significantly different cardiac dimensions and biventricular systolic dysfunction and impaired ventricular inflow as compared to non-athletes and non-AAS-using strength athletes. Increased ventricular volume and mass did not exceed that of strength-endurance athletes. These findings may help raise awareness of the consequences of AAS use.

Impact of revised Task Force Criteria: distinguishing the athlete's heart from ARVC/D using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) evaluation of athletes for arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy/dysplasia (ARVC/D) is complicated by overlapping features such as right ventricular (RV) volume increase. The revised ARVC/D diagnostic Task Force Criteria (TFC) incorporate cut-off values for RV ejection fraction (EF) and RV end-diastolic volume (EDV) on CMR. DESIGN: To distinguish ARVC/D patients from athletes we compared CMR ventricular volumes, function, TFC cut-off values, and LV/RV ratios since athletes show proportionate, and ARVC/D patients disproportionate, changes in LV and RV. METHODS: Quantitative CMR parameters of 33 ARVC/D patients (64% male, mean age 45.4 years, diagnosed by revised TFC), 66 healthy athletes and 66 healthy non-athletes (sex and age matched) were compared using revised TFC and new cut-off values representing LV/RV balance. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Absolute values for ARVC/D patients/athletes/non-athletes were: in males, RV EDV 149/133/106 ml/m(2), ratio EDV LV/RV 0.70/0.91/0.93, RV EF 34/52/54%, LV EF 48/57/58%, ratio EF LV/RV 1.49/1.10/1.09; and in females, RV EDV 115/115/91 ml/m(2), ratio EDV LV/RV 0.86/0.94/0.97, RV EF 43/54/58%, LV EF 52/57/61%, ratio EF LV/RV 1.23/1.08/1.04 (p-values < 0.05). Areas under the ROC-curve are 0.68 (RV EDV index), 0.84 (LV/RV EDV ratio) and 0.93 (RV EF), demonstrating significantly (p < 0.001) better performance of RV EF and LV/RV EDV ratio. If a wall motion abnormality is present (observed in 30 ARVC/D patients and not in healthy subjects), RV EF can help distinguish ARVC/D from physiological cardiac adaptation in athletes on CMR whereas RV EDV index cannot. A good alternative in athletes is the LV/RV EDV ratio, representing normal proportionate adaptation of both ventricles.