Using CMR to Diagnose Acute Pericarditis
Author Information
Author(s): Brett Nicholas J, Roper Damian, Slaughter Richard E, Hamilton-Craig Christian
Primary Institution: The Prince Charles Hospital, Chermside, Australia
Hypothesis
Can cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) improve the diagnosis of acute pericarditis compared to standard methods?
Conclusion
CMR is effective in diagnosing acute pericarditis, showing significant differences in pericardial thickness and enhancement compared to controls.
Supporting Evidence
- Pericardial thickness was significantly increased in patients with pericarditis compared to controls.
- 86% of patients with pericarditis showed pericardial LGE.
- 62% of patients had pericardial effusion, with no controls having pathological effusion.
- Pleural effusions were significantly more common in patients with pericarditis.
Takeaway
Doctors can use a special imaging technique called CMR to better see if someone has a heart condition called acute pericarditis.
Methodology
Patients with acute pericarditis were evaluated using CMR, and images were analyzed for pericardial thickness and enhancement.
Limitations
The study was retrospective and excluded patients with myocarditis, myocardial infarction, or previous cardiac surgery.
Participant Demographics
Patients with clinically confirmed acute pericarditis from a high-volume center.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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