Incremental diagnostic role of cardiac MRI in young-middle aged patients with high-grade atrio-ventricular block

Anna Baritussio,Amardeep Ghosh Dastidar,Chris B Lawton,Chiara Bucciarelli-Ducci,Antonio Frontera,Jonathan Rodrigues,Nauman Ahmed,Elisa Mcalindon,Daniel Augustine

doi:10.1186/1532-429x-18-s1-o127

Abstract

Background Atrio-ventricular (AV) block is a common bradyarrhythmia in the elderly, but is a rare event in young or middle-aged adults, often leading to pacemaker implantation without further investigation, though underlying aetiology influences both treatment strategies and prognosis. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has the potential to identify an underlying aetiology for AV block, over and above transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE), which is offered as the first imaging technique. We sought to assess the diagnostic additive role of CMR in young and middle aged adults (18-60 years) with high-grade AV block and to determine which findings on CMR best predict clinical impact.

Highlights

Atrio-ventricular (AV) block is a common bradyarrhythmia in the elderly, but is a rare event in young or middle-aged adults, often leading to pacemaker implantation without further investigation, though underlying aetiology influences both treatment strategies and prognosis
Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has the potential to identify an underlying aetiology for AV block, over and above transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE), which is offered as the first imaging technique
As compared to pre-CMR diagnosis, CMR findings led to a change in diagnosis in 45% of patients

Summary

Introduction

Atrio-ventricular (AV) block is a common bradyarrhythmia in the elderly, but is a rare event in young or middle-aged adults, often leading to pacemaker implantation without further investigation, though underlying aetiology influences both treatment strategies and prognosis. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has the potential to identify an underlying aetiology for AV block, over and above transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE), which is offered as the first imaging technique. We sought to assess the diagnostic additive role of CMR in young and middle aged adults (18-60 years) with high-grade AV block and to determine which findings on CMR best predict clinical impact

Methods

Results

Conclusion