title: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging evaluation of two families with Becker muscular dystrophy.
abstract: In this study we evaluated two families with Becker muscular dystrophy and although the patients were completely asymptomatic and with normal ECG and echocardiogram, their left ventricular function was abnormal and the presence of subepicardial scar tissue was identified in the majority of them. The latter was also documented in one of the mothers, who had normal systolic function and was free of symptoms. Cardiac evaluation with cardiovascular magnetic resonance is sensitive enough to detect abnormal findings in BMD patients, missed by conventional echocardiography. Due to its ability to perform tissue characterization non-invasively, cardiovascular magnetic resonance can detect silent myocardial lesions in patients with Becker muscular dystrophy.
authors.affiliation: Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece. soma13@otenet.gr
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mavrogeni
authors.forename: Antigoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papavasiliou
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Skouteli
authors.forename: Anastasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Magoutas
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dangas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020388:Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left; D055815:Young Adult