Ulrich Kramer MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Stefanie Mangold MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Christiane Bretschneider, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Achim Seeger, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Claus Detlef Claussen MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Christof Burgstahler, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Long-term physical training is associated with morphological and functional adaptations of the cardiovascular system. The specific effect of handball training on cardiac morphology and function has not been investigated in female athletes by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Thirteen female professional handball players (mean age 25.1±4.7) and 13 age and gender matched non-athlete controls (mean age 25.5±4.2) underwent cardiac MRI. Controls were healthy volunteers presenting with normal clinical history and did not engage in any routine physical training (>3h/wk); none of them reported previous cardiovascular disease. Steady-state free-precession cine MRI was used to calculate left and right ventricular end-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV), stroke volume (SV), ejection fraction (EF), myocardial mass (MM) and cardiac remodeling index (RI). Late enhancement (LE) imaging was used to exclude structural alterations or myocardial scar.

Indexed LV-EDV and RV-EDV were significantly (P <.001) increased in athletes by 29.3% and 34.2% compared to controls. There was no difference in LV-EF of athletes compared with controls (61.1±3.3 % vs. 62.5±5.0 %). The LV-RI of athletes was similar to those of the control subjects (0.65±0.07 g/ml vs. 0.64±0.06 g/ml). No myocardial LE was identified.

Systematic physical exercise is associated with enlargement of LV and RV chamber size, MM and increased cardiac function in comparison to healthy individuals. Cardiac MRI enables direct, objective measurement of these features and allows differentiating them from pathologic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

While no myocardial LE was identified, these study results confirm our hypothesis of the existence of a balanced mild myocardial hypertrophy and balanced ventricular dilatation in athletes.

Kramer, U, Mangold, S, Bretschneider, C, Seeger, A, Claussen, C, Burgstahler, C, Use of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance for Assessment of Morphological and Functional Adaptations in Top Level Female Handball Players.  Radiological Society of North America 2011 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 26 - December 2, 2011 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2011/11034418.html Accessed September 5, 2025