Persistent Chest Pain in Absence of Angiographic Significant Coronary Artery Disease is Associated with Permanent Myocardial Perfusion Defects in Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Post-menopausal Women

Abstract

We studied a population of post-menopausal women with persistent chest pain (PChP) in order to investigate the relationship between myocardial perfusion at rest and during a stress test using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Our goals were to document whether transient myocardial perfusion is induced by dipyridamole infusion and if perfusion defects are also present at rest. The study population consisted of 45 consecutive women (mean age 57.6±8.7 years), who reported chest pain symptoms. PChP was defined as self-reported continuing chest pain after one year. We compared the results of the perfusion MRI studies in subgroups with and without obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). The latest tools and technologies of Synapse™ Cardiovascular – Fujifilm’s cardiovascular (CV) image and information management system – helped us to achieve clear and comprehensive outcomes. In the group of women with PChP and non-obstructive CAD, 16 of 34 (48%) showed a well-evident left ventricular perfusion defect at baseline (four in one segment; eight in two segments and four in three or more segments). The localisation of the perfusion defects – seen using Synapse Cardiovascular – were anteroapical (n=6); septal (n=10); and inferoor inferolateral (n=4). These defects were ‘permanent’ or ‘fixed’, i.e. were present at rest and were neither induced nor modified by the administration of dipyridamole. In any of the women with CAD we found these anomalies. ‘Fixed’ perfusion defects at MRI – probably due to permanent damage of the coronary microcirculation – suggest a disease state typical for post-menopausal women with PChP.