Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance of Myocardial Fibrosis, Edema, and Infiltrates in Heart Failure

Heart Fail Clin. 2021 Jan;17(1):77-84. doi: 10.1016/j.hfc.2020.08.013. Epub 2020 Oct 28.

Abstract

Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is a unique imaging modality, which provides accurate noninvasive tissue characterization. Various CMR sequences can be utilized to identify and quantify patterns of myocardial edema, fibrosis, and infiltrates, which are important determinants for diagnosis and prognostication of heart failure. This article describes available methods of tissue characterization imaging applied in CMR. The presence and patterns of abnormal tissue characterization are related to common etiologies of heart failure and the techniques employed to demonstrate this. CMR provides the opportunity to identify the etiology of heart failure based on the recognition of different patterns of myocardial abnormalities.

Keywords: Cardiac MRI; Gadolinium enhancement; Mapping; Myocardial edema; Myocardial fibrosis; Tissue characterisation.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cardiomyopathies / diagnosis*
  • Cardiomyopathies / etiology
  • Edema / diagnosis
  • Edema / etiology
  • Fibrosis / diagnosis
  • Fibrosis / etiology
  • Heart Failure / complications*
  • Heart Failure / diagnosis
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine / methods*
  • Myocardium / pathology*