title: Delayed gadolinium enhancement in the atrial wall: a novel finding in 3 patients with rheumatic heart disease.
abstract: Carditis is a well-recognized finding in rheumatic heart disease and is one of the major criteria in the diagnosis of rheumatic fever. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance with gadolinium enhancement has been used in the evaluation of several disease entities, most commonly in the imaging of myocardial infarctions. We retrospectively evaluated cardiovascular magnetic resonance studies within our institution to identify patients with rheumatic heart disease. Herein, we report the cases of 3 patients who had clinical and imaging findings of rheumatic heart disease, and in whom cardiovascular magnetic resonance revealed delayed gadolinium enhancement in the walls of 1 or both atria. In 1 patient, the delayed enhancement was also evident in both atrioventricular valves.To our knowledge, this is the 1st report of atrial-wall or atrioventricular-valve delayed gadolinium enhancement in the presence of rheumatic heart disease. Further studies may clarify whether atrial delayed gadolinium enhancement is seen in rheumatic heart disease more often than in other diseases that cause atrial fibrillation, and the diagnostic and prognostic significance of such a finding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Keck School of Medicine; and Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California 90033, USA. jshriki@gmail.com
authors.forename: Jabi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shriki
authors.forename: Brenna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Talkin
authors.forename: Isac C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farvid
authors.forename: Patrick M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Colletti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000473:pathology; D006351:Heart Valves / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008536:Meglumine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C064572:gadobenic acid; D008536:Meglumine