Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings Are Useful for Differentiating Between Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy and Aortic Valve Stenosis in Elderly Patients

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess whether cardiac magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is useful for differentiating between hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) and aortic valve stenosis (AS) in 21 elderly patients (>75 years old). Cine and delayed contrast-enhanced cardiac MR imaging was performed and used to assess the regional wall thickness, myocardial mass, mitral valve motion, and myocardial hyperenhancement in elderly patients with HOCM and AS. The basal anterior septal and midventricular inferior septal walls were significantly thicker, the ejection fraction was higher, and the ratio between the basal and midventricular inferior wall thicknesses was lower in patients with HOCM than those in patients with AS. Apical wall thinning and abnormal mitral valve motion were detected in patients with HOCM. Structural and functional parameters that are characteristic of HOCM can be assessed in cardiac MR imaging, and these parameters may be useful for differentiating between HOCM and AS in elderly patients.