Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate whether cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-derived right ventricular (RV) assessment can facilitate risk stratification among patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy who underwent surgical ventricular reconstruction (SVR).
Methods: We retrospectively analysed 53 patients who underwent SVR. The patients were preoperatively evaluated using cardiac MRI. Cine-MRI was acquired for left ventricular (LV) and RV volume. Gadolinium-enhanced MRI was performed to evaluate LV scarring. The mid-term (median, 58 months) risk factors of all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiac events were analysed.
Results: A significant reduction in LV end-diastolic and end-systolic volume index and an increase in LV ejection fraction were observed early after SVR. RV end-diastolic volume index (RVEDVI) and RV end-systolic volume index (RVESVI) decreased after SVR (preoperative versus postoperative: RVEDVI, 71 ± 24 vs 62 ± 17 ml/m2, P = 0.006; RVESVI, 44 ± 26 vs 37 ± 16 ml/m2, P = 0.033), but RV ejection fraction did not change (preoperative versus postoperative: RV ejection fraction 40.8±14.6 vs 42.0±11.0%, P = 0.067). At follow-up, 25 deaths and 31 major adverse cardiac events occurred. After adjustment for age, creatinine level and preoperative mitral regurgitation grade, the Cox-hazard model indicated that RVEDVI [P = 0.006, hazard ratio (HR) 1.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.05] and RVESVI [P = 0.007, HR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01-1.04] were significant predictors for all-cause mortality. As for major adverse cardiac events, RVEDVI (P = 0.007, HR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.05), RVESVI (P = 0.002, HR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.04) and RV ejection fraction (P = 0.018, HR 0.97, 95% CI 0.94-0.99) were significant.
Conclusions: RV parameters were more sensitive than LV parameters for predicting worse outcomes following SVR. Preoperative assessment of RV volume and function using cardiac MRI may improve the risk stratification of SVR.