The Spectrum of Non-ischemic Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings: A Retrospective Analysis

Talal Almas; Hassan Saleem; Maryam Ehtesham; Salman Hussain; Tarek Khedro; Reema Alsufyani; Fatimah Alahmed; Dana Almubarak; Syed Muhammad Jawad Zaidi; Aamir Hameed

doi:10.7759/cureus.11354

The Spectrum of Non-ischemic Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings: A Retrospective Analysis

Cureus. 2020 Nov 5;12(11):e11354. doi: 10.7759/cureus.11354.

Affiliations

¹ Internal Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, IRL.
² Radiology, Islamabad Diagnostic Center, Islamabad, PAK.
³ Internal Medicine, Rawalpindi Medical University, Rawalpindi, PAK.
⁴ Tissue Engineering Research Group, Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, IRL.

Abstract

Introduction Since cardiac pathologies remain ubiquitous, their prompt diagnosis through the means of innovative technologies, such as cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, remains pivotal. The spectrum of these pathologies varies widely, ranging from ischemic etiologies to rare cardiac malignancies. This study evaluates the prevalence of nonischemic cardiac pathologies, such as infiltrative heart diseases, that often warrant meticulous diagnostic evaluation through the means of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Methods We performed a retrospective study in order to analyse the cardiac magnetic resonance imaging records of 250 patients over a period of six months with previously remarkable cardiac histories. Patients with a prior history of ischemic cardiac disease, as determined from past medical and surgical records, were excluded from the study. The prevalence of various nonischemic findings was ascertained. The demographic characteristics and comorbidities of the patients were also tabulated. Results In the present study, 250 patients were included, of which 115 were females and 135 were males, with the mean age hovering at 48.21 ± 11.49 years. The top two most prevalent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging findings were concentric moderate-to-severe left ventricular hypertrophy and patchy subendocardial late gadolinium enhancement of the left ventricle; these were observed in 62.2% and 23.7% of the patients, respectively. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging also divulged findings typical of rarer pathologies, including cardiac sarcoidosis and primary cardiac lymphoma. Conclusion Pathologies of the heart often mandate extensive diagnostic workup through the means of radiological modalities such as cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. In patients with indications of nonischemic cardiac pathologies, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging can be employed as part of the initial radiological armamentarium. Furthermore, cardiac magnetic resonance remains the imaging modality of choice for detecting infrequent cardiac pathologies, such as cardiac sarcoidosis.

Keywords: cardiac magnetic resonance imaging; non-ischemic cardiac pathologies.