Matthias Heller MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Mirko Schiemann, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

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

Arne Koch, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

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

To assess the follow up in patients with isolated cardiac sarcoidosis under therapy with corticoids using cardiac MRI.

18 Patients with histologically proven cardiac sarcoidosis underwent an initial and 3, 6 and 12 month follow up MRI under therapy with corticoids. Short axis views covering the entire heart and 4-chamber views were done with T2-w images using a breath hold turbo inversion recovery sequence (TIRM) with an inversion time (TI) of 170 ms for fat suppression. Addtionally delayed enhancement imaging was done with a 3d turbo flash sequence using an optimized TI-time of 210 ms in the short and long axis. Dynamic left ventricular analysis was done with contiguous short axis views covering both ventricles using a True-FISP cine sequence (true fast imaging in steady state precession). Additionally 3- and 4-chamber views were performed. MRI findings were categorized into stable (+/- 50 cardiac infiltration volume), worsening (> 50 % more infiltration volume) or improving situations (> 50 % less cardiac infiltration volume).

4 patients showed an improving situation with 3 patients presented a complete clearing of patchy granulomatous cardiac infiltrations with no areas of late enhancement while in 9 patients the MRI showed a stable situation with persistence of cardiac infiltrations in the same extension as in the initial imaging. Worsening situations of cardiac involvement was seen in 5 patients who all died due to therapy refractory ventricular tachyarrhythmias within 2 years.

Cardiac MRI offers a rapid and non-invasive screening method with high spatial resolution for the detection of myocardial involvement and fibrosis occurring in cardiac sarcoidosis and is a useful method in follow up under treatment.

Heller, M, Schiemann, M, Abolmaali, N, Koch, A, Thomas, V, Cardiac Sarcoidosis: Therapy Follow-up via Cardiac MRI.  Radiological Society of North America 2005 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 27 - December 2, 2005 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2005/4412791.html