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To evaluate the utility of cardiac magnetic resonance feature tracking-derived left ventricular strain in assessing cardiac dysfunction and investigate the correlation between left ventricular strain and myocardial T2* in patients with beta-thalassaemia major. Forty-two patients with beta-thalassaemia major, having a mean age of 22.49 ± 8.48 years, and age-matched healthy controls were enrolled in the study. The observer drew regions of interest on the interventricular septum, and T2* decay curves were calculated accordingly. The short-axis cine images were used to derive left ventricular circumferential and radial strains, and the long-axis four-chamber and two-chamber images were used to assess left ventricular longitudinal strain. The mean global left ventricular strains were lower in beta-thalassaemia major patients than the controls (p < 0.05). Left ventricular strains of beta-thalassaemia major patients with cardiac T2* values of > 20 ms were also significantly reduced compared with the controls (p < 0.05); there was no difference between the mean left ventricular ejection fractions of the two groups (p = 0.84). Cardiac T2* showed a weak correlation with left ventricular ejection fraction (r = 0.33, p = 0.03), while the left ventricular circumferential strain showed a good positive correlation with cardiac T2* (r = 0.6, p < 0.0001). Compared with healthy controls, patients with beta-thalassaemia major, including those with myocardial T2* values of >20 ms, showed reduced global left ventricular strains. Left ventricular circumferential strain was positively correlated with myocardial T2*. Left ventricular strain analysis using cardiac magnetic resonance feature tracking may have utility in beta-thalassaemia major assessment. Patients with beta-thalassaemia major, including those with myocardial T2* values of >20 ms, had reduced global left ventricular strains. Cardiac T2* showed a weak correlation with left ventricular ejection fraction, while the left ventricular circumferential strain showed a good positive correlation with cardiac T2*. Left ventricular strain using cardiac magnetic resonance feature tracking might be used as an adjunct in assessing cardiac functions in beta-thalassaemia major. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Diastolic dysfunction in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients is a frequent, yet poorly understood phenomenon. Purpose The purpose of this study is to assess the relationship between the myocardial fibrosis and diastolic dysfunction in patients with HCM. Materials and Methods We retrospectively investigated the impact of the myocardial fibrosis, as assessed by the extent of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE-%) on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI), on diastolic dysfunction in 110 patients with HCM. The diastolic dysfunction was evaluated by the left atrial (LA) volume index measured on CMRI and lateral septal E/E′ ratio calculated on echocardiography. Results : There was a moderate correlation between the LGE-% and LA volume (r = 0.59, p < 0.0001). The logistic regression model of LGE-%, mitral regurgitation, and total left ventricular mass that investigated the independent predictors of LA volume identified LGE-% as the only independent parameter associated with the LA volume index (β = 0.30, p = 0.003). No correlation was observed between the LGE-% and E/E′(r = 0.24, p = 0.009). Conclusions Myocardial fibrosis in HCM patients is associated with a chronic diastolic burden as represented by increased LA volume. However, the fibrosis does not influence the E/E′ ratio, which is a well-known parameter of ventricular relaxation, restoring forces, and filling pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the diagnostic accuracy of the current criterion, noncompacted-to-compacted (NC/C) wall ratio > 2.3 on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) for the diagnosis of left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 37 patients as an LVNC group and a total of 97 participants with ischemic, hypertrophic, and dilated cardiomyopathy and healthy controls as a control group. The NC/C ratio was measured perpendicularly on short-axis cine images for segments 1-16 and four-chamber cine images for the apex during the end-diastole. The sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of NC/C ratio > 2.3 for the diagnosis of LVNC were calculated. Results: LVNC patients comprised 24 males (64.8%) and 13 females (35.2%) with the mean age of29.24 ± 11.79 years. The NC/C ratio > 2.3 detected in all but one of the LVNC patients (97.3%). On the other hand, the specificity of NC/C ratio > 2.3 was 79.4% for the diagnosis of the LVNC patients. Using NC/C ratio > 2.66 and > 2.8 yielded 91.9% sensitivity and 97% specificity, and 81% sensitivity and 100% specificity, respectively. Conclusion: NC/C ratio > 2.3 might lead to overdiagnosis of LVNC. We suggest using higher NC/C cut-off value in individuals without high clinical suspicion of LVNC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]