Assessment of right and left atrial function in patients with transplanted hearts with the use of magnetic resonance imaging.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to determine the volumes and cyclic volume changes of the cardiac atria after heart transplantation in physically healthy recipients.


METHODS
Ten heart transplant recipients (New York Heart Association grade I) entered the protocol. All operations had been made with classic biatrial anastomoses. Eight healthy volunteers were studied as controls. To measure the volumes of both atria and left ventricular cavity, we used a gradient-echo cine sequence. The 10 mm slices covered both atria over the total cardiac cycle. Images were planimetered, and simultaneous volumes were totalled to give the cavity volume at each time phase.


RESULTS
The heart rate of the heart transplant recipients was faster than in controls, which resulted in higher cardiac output. The atrial minimum volumes were significantly larger, and fractional emptying was smaller in transplanted hearts when compared with controls. Reservoir and stroke volumes were smaller and conduit volumes were larger in transplanted hearts than in controls. The atrial filling and emptying rates were lower in heart transplant recipients than in controls.


CONCLUSIONS
The classic surgical technique used in heart transplantation results in large atria with decreased volume changes and filling rates even in physically healthy transplant recipients. Magnetic resonance imaging is a reliable tool in assessment of atrial volumes and cyclic function after heart transplantation.
Lauerma
K
K
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland.
Harjula
A
A
Järvinen
V
V
Kupari
M
M
Keto
P
P
D000328:Adult; D016275:Atrial Function / Q000502:physiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D015588:Observer Variation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology