Clinical Applications of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Parametric Mapping.

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is widely regarded as the gold-standard technique for myocardial tissue characterization, allowing for the detection of structural abnormalities such as myocardial fatty replacement, myocardial edema, myocardial necrosis, and/or fibrosis. Historically, the identification of abnormal myocardial regions relied on variations in tissue signal intensity, often necessitating the use of exogenous contrast agents. However, over the past two decades, innovative parametric mapping techniques have emerged, enabling the direct quantitative assessment of tissue magnetic resonance (MR) properties on a voxel-by-voxel basis. These mapping techniques offer significant advantages by providing comprehensive and precise information that can be translated into color-coded maps, facilitating the identification of subtle or diffuse myocardial abnormalities. As unlikely conventional methods, these techniques do not require a substantial amount of structurally altered tissue to be visually identifiable as an area of abnormal signal intensity, eliminating the reliance on contrast agents. Moreover, these parametric mapping techniques, such as T1, T2, and T2* mapping, have transitioned from being primarily research tools to becoming valuable assets in the clinical diagnosis and risk stratification of various cardiac disorders. In this review, we aim to elucidate the underlying physical principles of CMR parametric mapping, explore its current clinical applications, address potential pitfalls, and outline future directions for research and development in this field.

Predictive value of a comprehensive atrial assessment with cardiac magnetic resonance in non-ischemic cardiomyopathy: keep it simple.

Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) can provide a multi-parametric evaluation of left atrial (LA) size and function. A complete CMR-based LA assessment might improve the risk stratification of patients with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). We performed a comprehensive CMR-based evaluation of LA size and function, in order to assess the prognostic impact of specific LA parameters in DCM. Secondary analysis of a prospective registry (UHSM-CMR study, NCT02326324) including 648 consecutive patients with DCM and CMR evaluation of LA area and LA length. Of these, 456 had complete LA assessment covering reservoir, conduit and booster pump function and including LA reservoir strain evaluated with feature tracking. The heart failure (HF) endpoint included HF hospitalizations, HF death and heart transplant. The arrhythmic endpoint included ventricular arrhythmias (VA) (sustained or treated by implantable defibrillator) and sudden death (SD). At median follow-up of 23 months, 34 patients reached the HF endpoint; in a multivariable model including NYHA class and LVEF, LA length had incremental predictive value. LA length ≥ 69 mm was the best cut-off to predict HF events (adjusted HR 2.3, p = 0.03). Among the 456 patients with comprehensive LA assessment, only LA length was independently associated with the HF endpoint after adjusting for LVEF and NYHA class. By contrast, no LA parameter independently predicted the arrhythmic risk. In DCM patients, LA length is an independent predictor of HF events, showing stronger association than other more complex parameters of LA function. No atrial parameter predicts the risk of VA and SD.

Late gadolinium enhancement and the risk of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death in NYHA class I patients with non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy.

AIM: To compare the risk of ventricular arrhythmias (VA) and sudden death (SD) between New York Heart Association (NYHA) class I and NYHA class II-III patients with non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy (NICM). METHODS AND RESULTS: Observational retrospective cohort study including patients with NICM who underwent cardiac magnetic resonance at two hospitals. The primary endpoint included appropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapies, sustained ventricular tachycardia, resuscitated cardiac arrest and SD. The secondary endpoint included heart failure (HF) hospitalizations, heart transplant, left ventricular assist device implant or HF death. Overall, 698 patients were included, 33% in NYHA class I. During a median follow-up of 31 months, the primary endpoint occurred in 57 patients (8%), with no differences between NYHA class I and NYHA class II-III cases (7% vs. 9%, p = 0.62). Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) was the only independent predictor of the primary outcome both in NYHA class I and NYHA class II-III patients. LGE+ NYHA class I patients had a similar cumulative incidence of the primary endpoint as compared to LGE+ NYHA class II-III (p = 0.92) and a significantly higher risk as compared to LGE- NYHA class II-III cases (p < 0.001). The risk of the secondary endpoint was significantly higher in patients in NYHA class II-III as compared to those in NYHA class I (hazard ratio 3.2, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with NICM in NYHA class I are not necessarily at low risk of VA and SD. Actually, LGE+ NYHA class I patients have a high risk. NYHA class I patients with high-risk factors, such as LGE, could benefit from primary prevention ICD at least as much as those in NYHA class II-III with the same risk factors.

Extracellular volume fraction improves risk-stratification for ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death in non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy.

AIMS: To evaluate whether cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR)-based parametric mapping and strain analysis can improve the risk-stratification for ventricular arrhythmias (VA) and sudden death (SD) in non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy (NICM). METHODS AND RESULTS: Secondary analysis of a prospective single-centre-registry (NCT02326324), including 703 consecutive NICM patients, 618 with extracellular volume (ECV) available. The combined primary endpoint included appropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapies, sustained ventricular tachycardia, resuscitated cardiac arrest and SD. During a median follow-up of 21 months, 14 patients (2%) experienced the primary endpoint. Native T1 was not associated with the primary endpoint. Left ventricular global longitudinal strain lost its significant association after adjustment for left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Among patients with ECV available, 11 (2%) reached the primary endpoint. Mean ECV was significantly associated with the primary endpoint and the best cut-off was 30%. ECV ≥ 30% was the strongest independent predictor of the primary endpoint (hazard ratio 14.1, P = 0.01) after adjustment for late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and LVEF. ECV ≥ 30% discriminated the arrhythmic risk among LGE+ cases and among those with LVEF ≤ 35%. A simple clinical risk-stratification model, based on LGE, LVEF ≤ 35% and ECV ≥ 30%, achieved an excellent predictive ability (Harrell's C 0.82) and reclassified the risk of 32% of the study population as compared to LVEF ≤ 35% alone. CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensive CMR evaluation in NICM showed that ECV was the only parameter with an independent and strong predictive value for VA/SD, on top of LGE and LVEF. A risk-stratification model based on LGE, LVEF ≤ 35% and ECV ≥ 30% achieved an excellent predictive ability for VA/SD. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: UHSM CMR study (NCT02326324) https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02326324.

Prognostic impact of late gadolinium enhancement at the right ventricular insertion points in non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy.

AIMS: To evaluate the baseline characteristics and the prognostic implications associated with late gadolinium enhancement limited to the right ventricular insertion points (IP-LGE) or present at both the right ventricular insertion points and the left ventricle (IP&LV-LGE) in non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). METHODS AND RESULTS: This is a retrospective observational multicentre cohort study including 1165 consecutive patients with DCM evaluated by cardiac magnetic resonance. The primary endpoint included appropriate defibrillator therapies, sustained ventricular tachycardia, resuscitated cardiac arrest, or sudden death. The secondary outcome encompassed heart failure hospitalizations, heart transplant, left ventricular assist device implantation, and end-stage heart failure death. IP-LGE was found in 72 patients (6%), who had clinical characteristics closer to LGE- than to LGE+ patients. During follow-up (median 36 months), none of the IP-LGE patients experienced the primary endpoint. The cumulative incidence of the primary endpoint was similar between IP-LGE and LGE- patients (P = 1), while IP-LGE had significantly lower cumulative incidence when compared with LGE+ patients (P < 0.001). When compared with IP-LGE patients, the cumulative incidence of the secondary endpoint was similar in LGE- cases (P = 0.86) but tended to be higher in LGE+ patients (P = 0.06). Both clinical characteristics and outcomes were similar between IP&LV-LGE patients and the rest of LGE+ cases. CONCLUSIONS: In a large cohort of DCM patients, IP-LGE was associated with similar outcome when compared with LGE- patients and with significant lower risk of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death when compared with LGE+ cases. Patients with IP&LV-LGE had clinical characteristics and outcomes similar to the rest of LGE+ cases.

Validated Model for Prediction of Adverse Cardiac Outcome in Patients With Fabry Disease.

BACKGROUND: The cardiac manifestations of Fabry disease are the leading cause of death, but risk stratification remains inadequate. Identifying patients who are at risk of adverse cardiac outcome may facilitate more evidence-based treatment guidance. Contemporary cardiovascular cardiac magnetic resonance biomarkers have become widely adopted, but their prognostic value remains unclear. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to develop, internally validate, and evaluate the performance of, a prognostic model, including contemporary deep phenotyping, which can be used to generate individual risk estimates for adverse cardiac outcome in patients with Fabry disease. METHODS: This longitudinal prospective cohort study consisted of 200 consecutive patients with Fabry disease undergoing clinical cardiac magnetic resonance. Median follow-up was 4.5 years (IQR: 2.7-6.3 years). Prognostic models were developed using Cox proportional hazards modeling. Outcome was a composite of adverse cardiac events. Model performance was evaluated. A risk calculator, which provides 5-year estimated risk of adverse cardiac outcome for individual patients, including men and women, was generated. RESULTS: The highest performing, internally validated, parsimonious multivariable model included age, native myocardial T1 dispersion (SD of per voxel myocardial T1 relaxation times), and indexed left ventricular mass. Median optimism-adjusted c-statistic across 5 imputed model development data sets was 0.77 (95% CI: 0.70-0.84). Model calibration was excellent across the full risk profile. CONCLUSIONS: This study developed and internally validated a risk prediction model that accurately predicts 5-year risk of adverse cardiac outcome for individual patients with Fabry disease, including men and women, which could easily be integrated into clinical care. External validation is warranted.

A case report of recurrent takotsubo cardiomyopathy including the rare 'inverted' form.

Background: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) is a disease that causes transient left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in multiple vascular territories in the absence of coronary artery disease. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is typically associated with dilation and dyskinesia of the apical and mid-LV segments induced by acute emotional and/or physical stress. Here, we present a case of recurrent TC including one episode of inverted TC, which is a rare form where dyskinesia occurs in the basal segments with sparing of the apical segments. Case summary: A 53-year-old female patient with a background history of chronic stress and anxiety was admitted with three episodes of recurrent TC over 4 years. The first episode in 2017 was triggered by an acute stressful event, but no major triggers were identified for the subsequent episodes. Although the first and third episodes displayed the signs of classical TC, the second episode was an inverted TC. Full cardiac function was restored after each episode. She now takes prognostic heart failure medications long term and mental health teams are trying to support her emotional wellbeing. Discussion: This patient displayed a rare disease course involving three recurrent episodes of TC, including one instance of its inverted form. Although psychiatric conditions and emotional stress are acknowledged as risk factors for TC, further research is needed to assess whether mental health treatment following TC can prevent disease recurrence.

Acute and Chronic Cardiopulmonary Effects of High Dose Interleukin-2 Therapy: An Observational Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study.

High dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) is known to be associated with cardiopulmonary toxicity. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of high dose IL-2 therapy on cardiopulmonary structure and function. Combined cardiopulmonary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed in 7 patients in the acute period following IL-2 therapy and repeated in 4 patients in the chronic period. Comparison was made to 10 healthy volunteers. IL-2 therapy was associated with myocardial and pulmonary capillary leak, tissue oedema and cardiomyocyte injury, which resulted in acute significant left ventricular (LV) dilatation, a reduction in LV ejection fraction (EF), an increase in LV mass and a prolongation of QT interval. The acute effects occurred irrespective of symptoms. In the chronic period many of the effects resolved, but LV hypertrophy ensued, driven by focal replacement and diffuse interstitial myocardial fibrosis and increased cardiomyocyte mass. In conclusion, IL-2 therapy is ubiquitously associated with acute cardiopulmonary inflammation, irrespective of symptoms, which leads to acute LV dilatation and dysfunction, increased LV mass and QT interval prolongation. Most of these effects are reversible but IL-2 therapy is associated with chronic LV hypertrophy, driven by interstitial myocardial fibrosis and increased cardiomyocyte mass. The findings have important implications for the monitoring and long term impact of newer immunotherapies. Future studies are needed to improve risk stratification and develop cardiopulmonary-protective strategies.

Global longitudinal strain by CMR improves prognostic stratification in acute myocarditis presenting with normal LVEF.

BACKGROUND: Prognostic stratification of acute myocarditis (AM) presenting with normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) relies mostly on late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) characterization. Left ventricular peak global longitudinal strain (LV-GLS) measured by feature tracking analysis might improve prognostication of AM presenting with normal LVEF. METHODS: Data of patients undergoing cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) for clinically suspected AM in seven European Centres (2013-2020) were retrospectively analysed. Patients with AM confirmed by CMR and LVEF ≥50% were included. LGE was visually characterized: localized versus. non-localized, subepicardial versus midwall. LV-GLS was measured by dedicated software. The primary outcome was the first occurrence of an adverse cardiovascular event (ACE) including cardiac death, life-threatening arrhythmias, development of heart failure or of LVEF <50%. RESULTS: Of 389 screened patients, 256 (66%) fulfilled inclusion criteria: median age 36 years, 71% males, median LVEF 60%, median LV-GLS -17.3%. CMR was performed at 4 days from hospitalization. At 27 months, 24 (9%) patients experienced ≥1 ACE (71% developed LVEF <50%). Compared to the others, they had lower median LV-GLS values (-13.9% vs. -17.5%, p = .001). At Kaplan-Meier analysis, impaired LV-GLS (both considered as > -20% or quartiles), non-localized and midwall LGE were associated with ACEs. Patients with LV-GLS ≤-20% did not experience ACEs. LV-GLS remained associated with ACEs after adjustment for non-localized and midwall LGE. CONCLUSION: In AM presenting with LVEF ≥50%, LV-GLS provides independent prognostic value over LGE characterization, improving risk stratification and representing a rationale for further studies of therapy in this cohort.

Ventricular Arrhythmias and Sudden Death in Nonischemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy: Matter of Sex or Scar?

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the association between sex and ventricular arrhythmias (VA) or sudden death (SD) in nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy, including analysis of potential confounders. METHODS AND RESULTS: Retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients with DCM referred for cardiac magnetic resonance at 2 tertiary hospitals. The primary combined end point encompassed sustained VA, appropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapies, resuscitated cardiac arrest, and SD. We included 1165 patients with median follow-up of 36 months (interquartile range 20-58 months). The majority of patients (66%) were males. Males and females had similar left ventricular ejection fraction, but the prevalence of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) at cardiac magnetic resonance was significantly higher among males (48% vs 30%, P < .001). Males had higher cumulative incidence of the primary end point (8% vs 4%, P = .02), and male sex was a significant predictor of the primary end point at univariate analysis (hazard ratio 1.93, P = .02). However, LGE had a major confounding effect in the association between sex and the primary outcome: the hazard ratio of male sex adjusted for LGE was 1.29 (P = .37). LGE+ females had significantly higher cumulative incidence of the primary end point than LGE- males (13% vs 1.8%, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with DCM, the prevalence of LGE is significantly higher among males, implying a major confounding effect in the association between male sex and VA or SD. LGE+ females have significantly higher risk than LGE- males. These data do not support the inclusion of sex into risk stratification algorithms for VA or SD in DCM.

Prevalence and prognostic significance of ischemic late gadolinium enhancement pattern in non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Typical late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) patterns in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) include intramyocardial and subepicardial distribution. However, the ischemic pattern of LGE (subendocardial and transmural) has also been reported in DCM without coronary artery disease (CAD), but its correlates and prognostic significance are still not known. On these bases, this study sought to describe the prevalence and prognostic significance of the ischemic LGE pattern in DCM. METHODS: A total of 611 DCM patients with available cardiac magnetic resonance were retrospectively analyzed. A composite of all-cause-death, major ventricular arrhythmias (MVAs), heart transplantation (HTx) or ventricular assist device (VAD) implantation was the primary outcome of the study. Secondary outcomes were a composite of sudden cardiac death or MVAs and a composite of death for refractory heart failure, HTx or VAD implantation. RESULTS: Ischemic LGE was found in 7% of DCM patients without significant CAD or history of myocardial infarction, most commonly inferior/inferolateral/anterolateral. Compared to patients with non-ischemic LGE, those with ischemic LGE had higher prevalence of hypertension and atrial fibrillation or flutter. Ischemic LGE was associated with worse long-term outcomes compared to non-ischemic LGE (36% vs 23% risk of primary outcome events at 5 years respectively, P = .006), and remained an independent predictor of primary outcome after adjustment for clinically and statistically significant variables (adjusted hazard ratio 2.059 [1.055-4.015], P = .034 with respect to non-ischemic LGE). CONCLUSIONS: The ischemic pattern of LGE is not uncommon among DCM patients without CAD and is independently associated with worse long-term outcomes.

The Diagnostic and Prognostic Utility of Contemporary Cardiac Magnetic Resonance in Suspected Acute Myocarditis.

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is used to investigate suspected acute myocarditis, however most supporting data is retrospective and few studies have included parametric mapping. We aimed to investigate the utility of contemporary multiparametric CMR in a large prospective cohort of patients with suspected acute myocarditis, the impact of real-world variations in practice, the relationship between clinical characteristics and CMR findings and factors predicting outcome. 540 consecutive patients we recruited. The 113 patients diagnosed with myocarditis on CMR performed within 40 days of presentation were followed-up for 674 (504-915) days. 39 patients underwent follow-up CMR at 189 (166-209) days. CMR provided a positive diagnosis in 72% of patients, including myocarditis (40%) and myocardial infarction (11%). In multivariable analysis, male sex and shorter presentation-to-scan interval were associated with a diagnosis of myocarditis. Presentation with heart failure (HF) was associated with lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), higher LGE burden and higher extracellular volume fraction. Lower baseline LVEF predicted follow-up LV dysfunction. Multiparametric CMR has a high diagnostic yield in suspected acute myocarditis. CMR should be performed early and include parametric mapping. Patients presenting with HF and reduced LVEF require closer follow-up while those with normal CMR may not require it.

Arrhythmic risk stratification by cardiac magnetic resonance tissue characterization: disclosing the arrhythmic substrate within the heart muscle.

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a pivotal health problem worldwide. The identification of subjects at increased risk of SCD is crucial for the accurate selection of candidates for implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy. Current strategies for arrhythmic stratification largely rely on left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF), mostly measured by echocardiography, and New York Heart Association functional status for heart failure with reduced EF. For specific diseases, such as hypertrophic and arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, some risk scores have been proposed; however, these scores take into account some parameters that are a partial reflection of the global arrhythmic risk and show a suboptimal accuracy. Thanks to a more comprehensive evaluation, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) provides insights into the heart muscle (the so-called tissue characterization) identifying cardiac fibrosis as an arrhythmic substrate. Combining sequences before and after administration of contrast media and mapping techniques, CMR is able to characterize the myocardial tissue composition, shedding light on both intracellular and extracellular alterations. Over time, late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) emerged as solid prognostic marker, strongly associated with major arrhythmic events regardless of LVEF, adding incremental value over current strategy in ischemic heart disease and non-ischemic cardiomyopathies. The evidence on a potential prognostic role of mapping imaging is promising. However, mapping techniques require further investigation and standardization. Disclosing the arrhythmic substrate within the myocardium, CMR should be considered as part of a multiparametric approach to personalized arrhythmic stratification.

Use of Sutureless and Rapid Deployment Prostheses in Challenging Reoperations.

Sutureless and rapid-deployment bioprostheses have been introduced as alternatives to traditional prosthetic valves to reduce cardiopulmonary and aortic cross-clamp times during aortic valve replacement. These devices have also been employed in extremely demanding surgical settings, as underlined in the present review. Searches on the PubMed and Medline databases aimed to identify, from the English-language literature, the reported cases where both sutureless and rapid-deployment prostheses were employed in challenging surgical situations, usually complex reoperations sometimes even performed as bailout procedures. We have identified 25 patients for whom a sutureless or rapid-deployment prosthesis was used in complex redo procedures: 17 patients with a failing stentless bioprosthesis, 6 patients with a failing homograft, and 2 patients with the failure of a valve-sparing procedure. All patients survived reoperation and were reported to be alive 3 months to 4 years postoperatively. Sutureless and rapid-deployment bioprostheses have proved effective in replacing degenerated stentless bioprostheses and homografts in challenging redo procedures. In these settings, they should be considered as a valid alternative not only to traditional prostheses but also in selected cases to transcatheter valve-in-valve solutions.

Post-discharge arrhythmic risk stratification of patients with acute myocarditis and life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmias.

AIMS: The outcomes of patients presenting with acute myocarditis and life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias (LT-VA) are unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence and predictors of recurrent major arrhythmic events (MAEs) after hospital discharge in this patient population. METHODS AND RESULTS: We retrospectively analysed 156 patients (median age 44 years; 77% male) discharged with a diagnosis of acute myocarditis and LT-VA from 16 hospitals worldwide. Diagnosis of myocarditis was based on histology or the combination of increased markers of cardiac injury and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) Lake Louise criteria. MAEs were defined as the relapse, after discharge, of sudden cardiac death or successfully defibrillated ventricular fibrillation, or sustained ventricular tachycardia (sVT) requiring implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy or synchronized external cardioversion. Median follow-up was 23 months [first to third quartile (Q1-Q3) 7-60]. Fifty-eight (37.2%) patients experienced MAEs after discharge, at a median of 8 months (Q1-Q3 2.5-24.0 months; 60.3% of MAEs within the first year). At multivariable Cox analysis, variables independently associated with MAEs were presentation with sVT [hazard ratio (HR) 2.90, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.38-6.11]; late gadolinium enhancement involving ≥2 myocardial segments (HR 4.51, 95% CI 2.39-8.53), and absence of positive short-tau inversion recovery (STIR) (HR 2.59, 95% CI 1.40-4.79) at first CMR. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients discharged with a diagnosis of myocarditis and LT-VA, 37.2% had recurrences of MAEs during follow-up. Initial CMR pattern and sVT at presentation stratify the risk of arrhythmia recurrence.

Improved Risk Stratification for Ventricular Arrhythmias and Sudden Death in Patients With Nonischemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Risk stratification for ventricular arrhythmias (VA) and sudden death in nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) remains suboptimal. OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to provide an improved risk stratification algorithm for VA and sudden death in DCM. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients with DCM who underwent cardiac magnetic resonance with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) at 2 tertiary referral centers. The combined arrhythmic endpoint included appropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapies, sustained ventricular tachycardia, resuscitated cardiac arrest, and sudden death. RESULTS: In 1,165 patients with a median follow-up of 36 months, LGE was an independent and strong predictor of the arrhythmic endpoint (hazard ratio: 9.7; p < 0.001). This association was consistent across all strata of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Epicardial LGE, transmural LGE, and combined septal and free-wall LGE were all associated with heightened risk. A simple algorithm combining LGE and 3 LVEF strata (i.e., ≤20%, 21% to 35%, >35%) was significantly superior to LVEF with the 35% cutoff (Harrell's C statistic: 0.8 vs. 0.69; area under the curve: 0.82 vs. 0.7; p < 0.001) and reclassified the arrhythmic risk of 34% of patients with DCM. LGE-negative patients with LVEF 21% to 35% had low risk (annual event rate 0.7%), whereas those with high-risk LGE distributions and LVEF >35% had significantly higher risk (annual event rate 3%; p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: In a large cohort of patients with DCM, LGE was found to be a significant, consistent, and strong predictor of VA or sudden death. Specific high-risk LGE distributions were identified. A new clinical algorithm integrating LGE and LVEF significantly improved the risk stratification for VA and sudden death, with relevant implications for implantable cardioverter-defibrillator allocation.

Procainamide for the Rapid Suppression of Premature Ventricular Contractions: An (Almost) Forgotten Tool in the Cardiologist's Armamentarium.

In the last few years, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging has progressively acquired a central role in the diagnosis and management of patients with ventricular arrhythmias (VA) [...].

Unraveling an Unusual Phenocopy of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: MELAS Syndrome.

The mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) syndrome is an uncommon cause of cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis, and dysfunction. It shares similar features to numerous other causes of left ventricular hypertrophy, and therefore, because of its rarity, may not be immediately considered as a diagnosis. Prompt recognition of clinical and cardiac imaging features may expedite diagnosis and management. We report the case of a 38-year-old man admitted with neurological symptoms and in whom the diagnostic workup led to the diagnosis of MELAS syndrome with cardiac involvement.

The alcohol-induced cardiomyopathy: A cardiovascular magnetic resonance characterization.

BACKGROUND: Alcoholic cardiomyopathy(ACM) is part of the non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy(NI-DCM) spectrum. Little is known about cardiovascular magnetic resonance(CMR) features in ACM patients. The aim of this study is to describe CMR findings and their prognostic impact in ACM patients. METHODS: Consecutive ACM patients evaluated in five referral CMR centres from January 2005 to December 2018 were enrolled. CMR findings and their prognostic value were compared to idiopathic NI-DCM(iNI-DCM) patients. The main outcome was a composite of death/heart transplantation/life-threatening arrhythmias. RESULTS: Overall 114 patients (52 with ACM and 62 with iNI-DCM) were included. ACM patients were more often males compared to iNI-DCM (90% vs 64%, respectively, p ≤ 0.001) and were characterized by a more pronounced biventricular adverse remodelling than iNI-DCM, i.e. lower LVEF (31 ± 12% vs 38 ± 11% respectively, p = 0.001) and larger left ventricular end-diastolic volume (116 ± 40 ml/m2 vs 67 ± 20 ml/m2 respectively, p < 0.001). Similarly to iNI-DCM, late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), mainly midwall, was present in more than 40% of ACM patients but, conversely, it was not associated with adverse outcome(p = 0.15). LGE localization was prevalently septal (87%) in ACM vs lateral in iNI-DCM(p < 0.05). Over a median follow-up of 42 months [Interquartile Range 24-68], adverse outcomes were similar in both groups(p = 0.67). CONCLUSIONS: ACM represents a specific phenotype of NI-DCM, with severe morpho-functional features at the onset, but similar long-term outcomes compared to iNI-DCM. Despite the presence and pattern of distribution of LGE was comparable, ACM and iNI-DCM showed a different LGE localization, mostly septal in ACM and lateral in iNI-DCM, with different prognostic impact.