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Adipose replacement and wall motion abnormalities in right ventricle arrhythmias: evaluation by MR imaging. Retrospective evaluation on 124 patients

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Abstract

We reevaluated the magnetic resonance (MR) examinations of 38 healthy volunteers (control group, CG) and of 124 patients with RV arrhythmia with left bundle branch block (LBBB) morphology: 45 with episodes of RV sustained tachycardia and of polymorphic RV premature beats (RVST-PPB group); 36 with only RV outflow tract sustained or not sustained tachycardia (RVOTT group); 43 with RV monomorphic premature beats (RVMPB group). All the examinations were reevaluated in a blinded fashion for detecting myocardial adipose replacement (AR) and wall bulges or aneurysms. In RVST-PPB patients, no AR was observed in 9%; 1 RV region involvement, 0%; 2 regions, 4%; ≥3 regions, 87%; left ventricle (LV), 15%. RVOTT patients: 0%, 53%, 14%, 5%, and 28%, respectively. RVMPB patients: 0%, 46%, 19%, 2%, and 33%, respectively. In CG, AR was observed in 11% (in RV outflow tract). RV bulges were detected in 80% of RVST-PPB, 39% of RVOTT, and 14% of RVMPB patients, none of the CG; RV aneurysms in 33% of RVST-PPB patients, none of RVOTT patients, RVMBP patients, and CG. A significant difference among groups for RV and LV AR as well as RV bulges and aneurysms was found (p < 0.0001). In the direct comparisons, significant differences were found for: disease duration (RVST-PPB vs. RVMPB, p = 0.0396); RV AR (all the patients groups vs. CG, RVST-PPB vs. RVOTT or RVMPB, p < 0.0001); RV aneurysms (RVST-PPB vs. CG, RVST-PPB vs. RVOTT or RVMPB, p < 0.0002); bulges (all comparisons, p < 0.0174). AR is confirmed as a structural substrate in RV arrhythmias. Number and extension of MR abnormalities are correlated to different degrees of RV arrhythmias.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiology, University of Genoa, Italy

    Giuseppe Molinari, Giovanni Bertero & Maria A. Masperone

  2. Department of Diagnostic Imaging, University of Genoa, Italy

    Francesco Sardanelli, Franco Zandrino & Roberto C. Parodi

  3. Department of Cardiology, Hospital of Asti, Italy

    Elena Richiardi, Paolo Di Donna & Fiorenzo Gaita

Authors
  1. Giuseppe Molinari
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  2. Francesco Sardanelli
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  3. Franco Zandrino
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  4. Roberto C. Parodi
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  5. Giovanni Bertero
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  6. Elena Richiardi
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  7. Paolo Di Donna
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  8. Fiorenzo Gaita
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  9. Maria A. Masperone
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Molinari, G., Sardanelli, F., Zandrino, F. et al. Adipose replacement and wall motion abnormalities in right ventricle arrhythmias: evaluation by MR imaging. Retrospective evaluation on 124 patients. Int J Cardiovasc Imaging 16, 105–115 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006304626233

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