Risk Stratification of Cardiomyopathy with Cardiac MRI
Presence of Late Gadolinium Enhancement Predicts Mortality
By Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH
Use of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging has skyrocketed in the era of COVID-19 vaccine myopericarditis. We have largely relied upon studies of other cardiomyopathies in the pre-pandemic era to gain inferences on how the technology can be used for risk stratification.
Dr. Christian Eichhorn and colleagues summarized 103 studies to date and found that late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) which indicates tissue damage, edema, and scar was associated with the risk of death. The presence or absence of this finding was more impressive than the quantification of how much of the left ventricle was damaged or the resultant reduction in heart pumping function or left ventricular ejection fraction.
These data are good news for COVID-19 myopericarditis cases where the cardiac MRI is normal (no LGE). At least from prior studies this group would be at lower risk of adverse outcomes including death.
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Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH
President, McCullough Foundation
Any more recent studies on PET scans of people asymptomatic of myopericarditis?