Cardiac allograft vasculopathy : complications and imaging studies.
Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is an accelerated form of coronary artery disease affecting both intramyocardial and epicardial coronary arteries and is observed in patients during long-term survival after cardiac transplantation. We report a case of CAV complicated with silent transmural myocardial infarction and massive left ventricular thrombus formation associated with silent pericarditis and with ischemic and non-ischemic scar tissue, as detected by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI). The authors suggest CMRI as an additional technique along with echocardiography during follow-up of heart transplant recipients. CMRI may contribute to the early identification of areas of myocardial wall abnormalities suggestive of CAV, thus guiding diagnosis and prompt percutaneous treatment.
Di Bella
G
G
Clinical and Experimental Department of Medicine and Pharmacology, Cardiology Unit, University of Messina, Italy.
Minutoli
F
F
Coglitore
S
S
Recupero
A
A
Donato
R
R
Caruso
R
R
Grimaldi
P
P
Lentini
S
S
D000368:Aged; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D015897:Comorbidity; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D004452:Echocardiography; D006352:Heart Ventricles; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D010493:Pericarditis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D017741:Survivors; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology