Matthias Heller MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Mirko Schiemann, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Nasreddin Djawad Abolmaali MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Arne Koch, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Thomas Josef Vogl MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To evaluate the long term therapy outcome with steroids in patients with isolated cardiac sarcoidosis using late enhancement cardiac MRI along with left ventricular dynamic functional analysis.

50 patients with histologically proven cardiac sarcoidosis were enrolled in this study. All patients received an initial cardiac MRI before therapy and under therapy a 3, 6 and 12 month follow up. Sequences used included TIRM, TrueFisp Cine and late enhancement FLASH 3D. Evaluated endpoints consisted of the assessment of regional hypokinesias as well as a functional analysis such as ejection fraction, stroke volume, myocardial mass and cardiac index. Areas of late enhancement were localized in myocardial segments and along with the lft heart function categorized in progressive disease (> 20% progress of the infiltration and > 20% worsening of the left heart function), stable disease (between 20 % regress) and complete disappearance of late enhancement with normalizing of the left heart function.

40 patients patients were evaluable. 12.5 % (n=5) of the patients showed a complete disappearance of cardiac involvement, 37.5% (n=15) showed a partial response, 17.5 % (n=7) showed a stable disease. 3 patients died due to therapy refractory heart arrhythmias, 5 patients needed a heart pacemaker and were not further evaluable and 2 patients received a heart transplantation.

Cardiac MRI offers a rapid and non-invasive method with high spatial resolution for therapy control and follow up in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis.

Cardiac MRI offers an excellent tool for therapy long term follow up in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis.

Heller, M, Schiemann, M, Abolmaali, N, Koch, A, Vogl, T, Long-term Therapy Follow-up in Patients with Isolated Cardiac Sarcoidosis with Cardiac MRI.  Radiological Society of North America 2006 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 26 - December 1, 2006 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2006/4441389.html