Objective: To observe the value of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for differentiation of true from false left ventricular aneurysm in patients after myocardial infraction (MI).
Methods: Twenty-six patients [22 males/4 females, mean age (59.3 ± 9.3) years] with left ventricular aneurysm after MI were imaged with MRI, echocardiography and coronary angiography. The respective findings were compared with surgical pathology results.
Results: There were 24 patients with dyspnea and 15 patients with hypertension. LVEF measured by echocardiography was 36.9% ± 9.1% in this patient cohort. Cardiac MRI showed that the left ventricular end diastolic wall thickness was thinner than 5.5 mm in 24 cases, and between 5.5 to 8 mm in 2 cases. The dimension of left ventricle was (67.8 ± 9.3) mm. Dyskinesia presented in 24 cases, and akinesia in 2 cases. Delayed enhancement was shown in all cases by MRI. Cardiac MRI detected left ventricular true aneurysm in 23 cases, false aneurysm in 3 case and left ventricular thrombi in 7 cases. The diagnosis by magnetic resonance imaging corresponded well to pathological findings. Echocardiography misdiagnosed pseudoaneurysm in 1 patient, and failed to detected left ventricular thrombi in 2 cases.
Conclusion: Cardiac MRI could correctly differentiate true from false left ventricular aneurysm in patients after MI.