Assessment of Cardiomyopathies and Cardiac Transplantation

Abstract

Combining the diagnostic capabilities of CMR in the assessment of cardiac structures, myocardial perfusion, and various tissue characterizing pulse sequence methods provides a novel interrogation of myocardial physiology and abnormal anatomy from various forms of cardiomyopathy. Establishment of technical imaging standards and clinical adaptation in the past years has helped characterize the distinguishing features of different cardiomyopathies with CMR currently assuming a pivotal role in the diagnosis of cases of new-onset cardiomyopathy in experienced centers. Quantitative measurements, such as ventricular volumes, myocardial iron content, and extent of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) can effectively monitor disease status, guide medical therapy, and impact patient outcomes in specific clinical settings. This chapter will aim to summarize these current CMR applications in the assessment of various forms of cardiomyopathy, as well as post-cardiac transplantation with case examples. It will also discuss novel methods such as T1 and T2 mapping and future directions in cardiomyopathy assessment.