Diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathies by non-ECG-gated cardiac computed tomography (CCT).
In order to study the significance of non-ECG-gated cardiac computed tomography (CCT) for the diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathies, the method was applied in 55 consecutive patients and the data were correlated with the echocardiogram. In a subset of 18 patients left and right heart catheterization was additionally performed, and in a subset of 17 patients, endomyocardial biopsy was performed. The CCT turned out to be an easily applicable, non-time-consuming method for obtaining a sectional visualization of the left and right ventricle. Regarding the septal thickness, there was an unexpectedly high correlation between CCT and echocardiogram (r = 0.9). The left ventricular deformity observed by echocardiogram and angiography in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathies corresponded well to that visualized by CCT, leading to a good differentiation between HOCM and HNCM (diagnostic specificity: 92% and 80%, respectively). It is concluded that the non-ECG-gated CCT seems to be a very helpful non-invasive method for diagnosing hypertrophic cardiomyopathies and differentiating between the obstructive and nonobstructive forms. From a clinical point of view, this may be important, mainly in patients in whom no clear-cut diagnosis is possible using previously applied non-invasive methods, including echocardiography. It may also be useful for follow-up studies, providing a sectional insight into the distribution of left ventricular hypertrophy.
Medizinische Klinik II der Städtischen Krankenanstalten Bielefeld-Mitte, F.R.G.
H
H
Kuhn
R
R
Blümm
F
F
Gietzen
K
K
Böcker
E
E
Wassmuth
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002312:Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004452:Echocardiography; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000592:standards