Is there a place for cardiovascular magnetic resonance conditional devices in systemic inflammatory diseases?

ABSTRACT

Rhythm disturbances and sudden cardiac death (SCD) are important manifestations of cardiac involvement in systemic inflammatory diseases (SID). The commonest events demanding the implantation of a device include ventricular tachycardia and atrioventricular block, mainly diagnosed in sarcoidosis, systemic lupus erythematosus and scleroderma. In SCD, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) identified areas of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in 71% and provided an arrhythmic substrate in 76%, while during the follow-up, the extent of LGE identified a subgroup at increased risk for future adverse events. CMR has been successfully used for detection of cardiac disease in SID, including myocarditis, coronary, microvascular and valvular disease. Additionally, SIDs have a higher probability to need MRI scanning of other organs, due to their systemic disease. These reasons support the necessity of an MRI conditional device in SIDs. A broad selection of devices, approved for the MRI environment under defined conditions allows the safe and accurate scanning of SID patients.

KEY WORDS:

• Cardiac magnetic resonance conditional devices
• systemic inflammatory diseases
• ventricular tachycardia
• ventricular fibrillation
• atrioventricular block

Financial and competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.