Severely impaired left ventricular function: tissue characterization by cardiovascular magnetic resonance in a clinical dilemma.
In patients with symptoms of heart failure, identifying the underlying cause of cardiomyopathy is helpful to establish the diagnosis and to guide therapy. The differential diagnosis of cardiomyopathy can be challenging based on clinical findings. We report the case of a patient who represented a clinical dilemma (cardiac sarcoidosis or ischaemic heart disease), in whom cardiovascular magnetic resonance was a clinically valuable tool to distinguish dual cardiac pathology due to its unique, non-invasive, tissue characterization capabilities.
Bucciarelli-Ducci
Chiara
C
Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Unit, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK. c.bucciarelli-ducci06@imperial.ac.uk
Locca
Didier
D
O'Hanlon
Rory
R
Oldershaw
Paul
P
Prasad
Sanjay K
SK
D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology