title: Clinical utility of echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging for detecting cardiac complications in systemic sclerosis. A case report.
abstract: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune disease that beside the skin involvement it may affect the peripheral vessels and several organs, such as the lungs, the kidneys or the heart. Cardiac impairment usually becomes symptomatic in the late stages of the disease and is associated with poor prognosis. We report the case of a 80-year-old woman patient presenting symptoms of heart failure, subsequently diagnosed with limited SSc. The cardiac function was evaluated using a combined approach based on echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging with late gadolinium enhancement. This case shows the fatal consequences of the late diagnosis of SSc.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Internal Medicine Department, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Bianca Olivia
authors.initials: BO
authors.lastname: Cojan Minzat
authors.affiliation: Hiperdia Diagnostic Imaging Center, Cluj-Napoca,Romania.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cioanca
authors.affiliation: 2nd Internal Medicine Department, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mihalcea
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Disease and Transplant Institute, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Targu Mures, Romania.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lupu
authors.affiliation: 2nd Internal Medicine Department, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy; Hiperdia Diagnostic Imaging Center, Cluj-Napoca,Romania. luciacoldea@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Agoston-Coldea
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003287:Contrast Media; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000150:complications*; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D005682:Gadolinium